Dielectric Resonator Antenna Modules

ABSTRACT

An electronic device may be provided with an antenna module having a substrate. A phased antenna array of dielectric resonator antennas and a radio-frequency integrated circuit for the array may be mounted to one or more surfaces of the substrate. The dielectric resonator antennas may include dielectric columns excited by feed probes. The feed probes may be printed onto sidewalls of the dielectric columns or may be pressed against the sidewalls by biasing structures. A plastic substrate may be molded over each dielectric column and each of the feed probes in the array. The feed probes may cover multiple polarizations. The array may include elements for covering multiple frequency bands. The dielectric columns may be aligned a longitudinal axis and may be rotated at a non-zero and non-perpendicular angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, toelectronic devices with wireless circuitry.

Electronic devices often include wireless circuitry. For example,cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennasand wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications.

It may be desirable to support wireless communications in millimeterwave and centimeter wave communications bands. Millimeter wavecommunications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely highfrequency (EHF) communications, and centimeter wave communicationsinvolve communications at frequencies of about 10-300 GHz. Operation atthese frequencies may support high bandwidths but may raise significantchallenges. For example, radio-frequency communications in millimeterand centimeter wave communications bands can be characterized bysubstantial attenuation and/or distortion during signal propagationthrough various mediums. The presence of conductive electronic devicecomponents can also make it difficult to incorporate circuitry forhandling millimeter and centimeter wave communications into theelectronic device. In addition, if care is not taken, manufacturingvariations can undesirably limit the mechanical reliability and wirelessperformance of the antennas in the electronic device.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic deviceswith improved components for supporting millimeter and centimeter wavecommunications.

SUMMARY

An electronic device may be provided with a housing, a display, andwireless circuitry. The housing may include peripheral conductivehousing structures that run around a periphery of the device. Thedisplay may include a display cover layer mounted to the peripheralconductive housing structures. The wireless circuitry may include aphased antenna array that conveys radio-frequency signals in one or morefrequency bands between 10 GHz and 300 GHz. The phased antenna array mayconvey the radio-frequency signals through the display cover layer orother dielectric cover layers in the device.

The phased antenna array may include probe-fed dielectric resonatorantennas. The phased antenna array and a radio-frequency integratedcircuit (RFIC) for the phased antenna array may both be integrated intoan antenna module. The antenna module may include an antenna modulesubstrate. The RFIC may be surface-mounted to a first surface of thesubstrate whereas the probe-fed dielectric resonator antennas aremounted to a second surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the RFICand probe-fed dielectric resonator antennas may be mounted to the samesurface of the substrate. An over-mold structure may be provided overthe RFIC. Additional phased antenna arrays may be mounted to thesubstrate if desired.

Each of the probe-fed dielectric resonator antennas may include adielectric resonating element mounted to a surface of the substrate. Oneor two feed probes may be coupled to sidewalls of the dielectricresonating element at the surface of the substrate to feed thedielectric resonating element. In one suitable arrangement, the feedprobes may be formed from conductive traces that are patterned onto thesidewalls. In this arrangement, each dielectric resonating element maybe formed on the antenna module at the same time, thereby minimizingmechanical variations to optimize mechanical and wireless performance ofthe module. The antenna module may be cut from a substrate used to formmultiple antenna modules for multiple devices to minimize manufacturingcost and complexity if desired.

In another suitable arrangement, the feed probes may be formed fromstamped sheet metal and may be pressed against the sidewalls by feedprobe biasing structures that are molded over the feed probes and atleast some of the dielectric resonating element. The feed probe biasingstructures may also press parasitic elements against the sidewalls ifdesired. A plastic substrate may be molded over the feed probes and atleast some of the dielectric resonating element for each of the antennasin the array to form an antenna package. The antenna package may besurface-mounted to the substrate (e.g., a flexible printed circuit) toform the antenna module. The antenna module may be aligned with a notchin a display module for the device. The dielectric resonating elementsmay be aligned along a longitudinal axis. If desired, each of thesidewalls of the dielectric resonating elements may be rotated atnon-zero and non-perpendicular angles with respect to the longitudinalaxis to maximize isolation between the antennas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of illustrative circuitry in an electronicdevice in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an illustrative phased antenna array that may beadjusted using control circuitry to direct a beam of signals inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having phased antenna arrays for radiating through differentsides of the device in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an illustrative probe-fed dielectricresonator antenna for covering multiple polarizations in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a top-down view of an illustrative probe-fed dielectricresonator antenna having multiple feed probes and floating parasiticpatches for mitigating cross-polarization interference in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a top-down view of an illustrative probe-fed dielectricresonating antenna having a single feed probe and grounded parasiticpatches for mitigating cross-polarization interference in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a top-down view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna modulehaving dielectric resonator antennas in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a top-down view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas and a radio-frequency integrated circuitmounted to the same side of a substrate in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 13 is a side view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas and a radio-frequency integrated circuitmounted to the same side of a substrate in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 14 is a side view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas on opposing sides of a substrate inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative antenna modulehaving patch antennas and dielectric resonator antennas at opposingsides of a substrate in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 16 and 17 are diagrams of an illustrative assembly process for anantenna module having dielectric resonator antennas mounted to asubstrate in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of illustrative steps that may be performed inassembling an antenna module having dielectric resonator antennasmounted to a substrate in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna module havingdielectric resonator antennas with feed probes that are biased towardsdielectric resonating elements by biasing structures in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing how an illustrative antenna module of thetype shown in FIG. 19 may be assembled in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 21 is a top-down view of an illustrative electronic device havingan antenna module aligned with a notch in a display module in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 22 is a top-down view of an illustrative antenna module havingrotated dielectric resonating elements in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna module havingrotated dielectric resonating elements in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative antennamodule of the type shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 in accordance with someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An electronic device such as electronic device 10 of FIG. 1 may containwireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or moreantennas. The antennas may include phased antenna arrays that are usedfor performing wireless communications using millimeter and centimeterwave signals. Millimeter wave signals, which are sometimes referred toas extremely high frequency (EHF) signals, propagate at frequenciesabove about 30 GHz (e.g., at 60 GHz or other frequencies between about30 GHz and 300 GHz). Centimeter wave signals propagate at frequenciesbetween about 10 GHz and 30 GHz. If desired, device 10 may also containantennas for handling satellite navigation system signals, cellulartelephone signals, local wireless area network signals, near-fieldcommunications, light-based wireless communications, or other wirelesscommunications.

Electronic device 10 may be a portable electronic device or othersuitable electronic device. For example, electronic device 10 may be alaptop computer, a tablet computer, a somewhat smaller device such as awrist-watch device, pendant device, headphone device, earpiece device,or other wearable or miniature device, a handheld device such as acellular telephone, a media player, or other small portable device.Device 10 may also be a set-top box, a desktop computer, a display intowhich a computer or other processing circuitry has been integrated, adisplay without an integrated computer, a wireless access point, awireless base station, an electronic device incorporated into a kiosk,building, or vehicle, or other suitable electronic equipment.

Device 10 may include a housing such as housing 12. Housing 12, whichmay sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass,ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum,etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. Insome situations, parts of housing 12 may be formed from dielectric orother low-conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic,sapphire, etc.). In other situations, housing 12 or at least some of thestructures that make up housing 12 may be formed from metal elements.

Device 10 may, if desired, have a display such as display 14. Display 14may be mounted on the front face of device 10 (e.g., display 14 may formsome or all of the front face of the device). Display 14 may be a touchscreen that incorporates capacitive touch electrodes or may beinsensitive to touch. The rear face of housing 12 (i.e., the face ofdevice 10 opposing the front face of device 10) may have a substantiallyplanar housing wall such as rear housing wall 12R (e.g., a planarhousing wall). Rear housing wall 12R may have slots that pass entirelythrough the rear housing wall and that therefore separate portions ofhousing 12 from each other. Rear housing wall 12R may include conductiveportions and/or dielectric portions. If desired, rear housing wall 12Rmay include a planar metal layer covered by a thin layer or coating ofdielectric such as glass, plastic, sapphire, or ceramic. Housing 12 mayalso have shallow grooves that do not pass entirely through housing 12.The slots and grooves may be filled with plastic or other dielectrics.If desired, portions of housing 12 that have been separated from eachother (e.g., by a through slot) may be joined by internal conductivestructures (e.g., sheet metal or other metal members that bridge theslot).

Housing 12 may include peripheral housing structures such as peripheralstructures 12W. Conductive portions of peripheral structures 12W andconductive portions of rear housing wall 12R may sometimes be referredto herein collectively as conductive structures of housing 12.Peripheral structures 12W may run around the periphery of device 10 anddisplay 14. In configurations in which device 10 and display 14 have arectangular shape with four edges, peripheral structures 12W may beimplemented using peripheral housing structures that have a rectangularring shape with four corresponding edges and that extend from rearhousing wall 12R to the front face of device 10 (as an example).Peripheral structures 12W or part of peripheral structures 12W may serveas a bezel for display 14 (e.g., a cosmetic trim that surrounds all foursides of display 14 and/or that helps hold display 14 to device 10) ifdesired. Peripheral structures 12W may, if desired, form sidewallstructures for device 10 (e.g., by forming a metal band with verticalsidewalls, curved sidewalls, etc.).

Peripheral structures 12W may be formed of a conductive material such asmetal and may therefore sometimes be referred to as peripheralconductive housing structures, conductive housing structures, peripheralmetal structures, peripheral conductive sidewalls, peripheral conductivesidewall structures, conductive housing sidewalls, peripheral conductivehousing sidewalls, sidewalls, sidewall structures, or a peripheralconductive housing member (as examples). Peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel,aluminum, or other suitable materials. One, two, or more than twoseparate structures may be used in forming peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W.

It is not necessary for peripheral conductive housing structures 12W tohave a uniform cross-section. For example, the top portion of peripheralconductive housing structures 12W may, if desired, have an inwardlyprotruding ledge that helps hold display 14 in place. The bottom portionof peripheral conductive housing structures 12W may also have anenlarged lip (e.g., in the plane of the rear surface of device 10).Peripheral conductive housing structures 12W may have substantiallystraight vertical sidewalls, may have sidewalls that are curved, or mayhave other suitable shapes. In some configurations (e.g., whenperipheral conductive housing structures 12W serve as a bezel fordisplay 14), peripheral conductive housing structures 12W may run aroundthe lip of housing 12 (i.e., peripheral conductive housing structures12W may cover only the edge of housing 12 that surrounds display 14 andnot the rest of the sidewalls of housing 12).

Rear housing wall 12R may lie in a plane that is parallel to display 14.In configurations for device 10 in which some or all of rear housingwall 12R is formed from metal, it may be desirable to form parts ofperipheral conductive housing structures 12W as integral portions of thehousing structures forming rear housing wall 12R. For example, rearhousing wall 12R of device 10 may include a planar metal structure andportions of peripheral conductive housing structures 12W on the sides ofhousing 12 may be formed as flat or curved vertically extending integralmetal portions of the planar metal structure (e.g., housing structures12R and 12W may be formed from a continuous piece of metal in a unibodyconfiguration). Housing structures such as these may, if desired, bemachined from a block of metal and/or may include multiple metal piecesthat are assembled together to form housing 12. Rear housing wall 12Rmay have one or more, two or more, or three or more portions. Peripheralconductive housing structures 12W and/or conductive portions of rearhousing wall 12R may form one or more exterior surfaces of device 10(e.g., surfaces that are visible to a user of device 10) and/or may beimplemented using internal structures that do not form exterior surfacesof device 10 (e.g., conductive housing structures that are not visibleto a user of device 10 such as conductive structures that are coveredwith layers such as thin cosmetic layers, protective coatings, and/orother coating layers that may include dielectric materials such asglass, ceramic, plastic, or other structures that form the exteriorsurfaces of device 10 and/or serve to hide peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W and/or conductive portions of rear housing wall 12R fromview of the user).

Display 14 may have an array of pixels that form an active area AA thatdisplays images for a user of device 10. For example, active area AA mayinclude an array of display pixels. The array of pixels may be formedfrom liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array ofelectrophoretic pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array oforganic light-emitting diode display pixels or other light-emittingdiode pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or displaypixels based on other display technologies. If desired, active area AAmay include touch sensors such as touch sensor capacitive electrodes,force sensors, or other sensors for gathering a user input.

Display 14 may have an inactive border region that runs along one ormore of the edges of active area AA. Inactive area IA of display 14 maybe free of pixels for displaying images and may overlap circuitry andother internal device structures in housing 12. To block thesestructures from view by a user of device 10, the underside of thedisplay cover layer or other layers in display 14 that overlap inactivearea IA may be coated with an opaque masking layer in inactive area IA.The opaque masking layer may have any suitable color. Inactive area IAmay include a recessed region such as notch 8 that extends into activearea AA. Active area AA may, for example, be defined by the lateral areaof a display module for display 14 (e.g., a display module that includespixel circuitry, touch sensor circuitry, etc.). The display module mayhave a recess or notch in upper region 20 of device 10 that is free fromactive display circuitry (i.e., that forms notch 8 of inactive area IA).Notch 8 may be a substantially rectangular region that is surrounded(defined) on three sides by active area AA and on a fourth side byperipheral conductive housing structures 12W.

Display 14 may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layerof transparent glass, clear plastic, transparent ceramic, sapphire, orother transparent crystalline material, or other transparent layer(s).The display cover layer may have a planar shape, a convex curvedprofile, a shape with planar and curved portions, a layout that includesa planar main area surrounded on one or more edges with a portion thatis bent out of the plane of the planar main area, or other suitableshapes. The display cover layer may cover the entire front face ofdevice 10. In another suitable arrangement, the display cover layer maycover substantially all of the front face of device 10 or only a portionof the front face of device 10. Openings may be formed in the displaycover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display coverlayer to accommodate a button. An opening may also be formed in thedisplay cover layer to accommodate ports such as speaker port 16 innotch 8 or a microphone port. Openings may be formed in housing 12 toform communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital dataport, etc.) and/or audio ports for audio components such as a speakerand/or a microphone if desired.

Display 14 may include conductive structures such as an array ofcapacitive electrodes for a touch sensor, conductive lines foraddressing pixels, driver circuits, etc. Housing 12 may include internalconductive structures such as metal frame members and a planarconductive housing member (sometimes referred to as a backplate) thatspans the walls of housing 12 (i.e., a substantially rectangular sheetformed from one or more metal parts that is welded or otherwiseconnected between opposing sides of peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W). The backplate may form an exterior rear surface ofdevice 10 or may be covered by layers such as thin cosmetic layers,protective coatings, and/or other coatings that may include dielectricmaterials such as glass, ceramic, plastic, or other structures that formthe exterior surfaces of device 10 and/or serve to hide the backplatefrom view of the user. Device 10 may also include conductive structuressuch as printed circuit boards, components mounted on printed circuitboards, and other internal conductive structures. These conductivestructures, which may be used in forming a ground plane in device 10,may extend under active area AA of display 14, for example.

In regions 22 and 20, openings may be formed within the conductivestructures of device 10 (e.g., between peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W and opposing conductive ground structures such asconductive portions of rear housing wall 12R, conductive traces on aprinted circuit board, conductive electrical components in display 14,etc.). These openings, which may sometimes be referred to as gaps, maybe filled with air, plastic, and/or other dielectrics and may be used informing slot antenna resonating elements for one or more antennas indevice 10, if desired.

Conductive housing structures and other conductive structures in device10 may serve as a ground plane for the antennas in device 10. Theopenings in regions 22 and 20 may serve as slots in open or closed slotantennas, may serve as a central dielectric region that is surrounded bya conductive path of materials in a loop antenna, may serve as a spacethat separates an antenna resonating element such as a strip antennaresonating element or an inverted-F antenna resonating element from theground plane, may contribute to the performance of a parasitic antennaresonating element, or may otherwise serve as part of antenna structuresformed in regions 22 and 20. If desired, the ground plane that is underactive area AA of display 14 and/or other metal structures in device 10may have portions that extend into parts of the ends of device 10 (e.g.,the ground may extend towards the dielectric-filled openings in regions22 and 20), thereby narrowing the slots in regions 22 and 20.

In general, device 10 may include any suitable number of antennas (e.g.,one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc.). Theantennas in device 10 may be located at opposing first and second endsof an elongated device housing (e.g., ends at regions 22 and 20 ofdevice 10 of FIG. 1), along one or more edges of a device housing, inthe center of a device housing, in other suitable locations, or in oneor more of these locations. The arrangement of FIG. 1 is merelyillustrative.

Portions of peripheral conductive housing structures 12W may be providedwith peripheral gap structures. For example, peripheral conductivehousing structures 12W may be provided with one or more gaps such asgaps 18, as shown in FIG. 1. The gaps in peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W may be filled with dielectric such as polymer, ceramic,glass, air, other dielectric materials, or combinations of thesematerials. Gaps 18 may divide peripheral conductive housing structures12W into one or more peripheral conductive segments. The conductivesegments that are formed in this way may form parts of antennas indevice 10 if desired. Gaps 18 may be omitted if desired. Otherdielectric openings may be formed in peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W (e.g., dielectric openings other than gaps 18) and mayserve as dielectric antenna windows for antennas mounted within theinterior of device 10. Antennas within device 10 may be aligned with thedielectric antenna windows for conveying radio-frequency signals throughperipheral conductive housing structures 12W. Antennas within device 10may also be aligned with inactive area IA of display 14 for conveyingradio-frequency signals through display 14.

In order to provide an end user of device 10 with as large of a displayas possible (e.g., to maximize an area of the device used for displayingmedia, running applications, etc.), it may be desirable to increase theamount of area at the front face of device 10 that is covered by activearea AA of display 14. Increasing the size of active area AA may reducethe size of inactive area IA within device 10. This may reduce the areabehind display 14 that is available for antennas within device 10. Forexample, active area AA of display 14 may include conductive structuresthat serve to block radio-frequency signals handled by antennas mountedbehind active area AA from radiating through the front face of device10. It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide antennas thatoccupy a small amount of space within device 10 (e.g., to allow for aslarge of a display active area AA as possible) while still allowing theantennas to communicate with wireless equipment external to device 10with satisfactory efficiency bandwidth.

In a typical scenario, device 10 may have one or more upper antennas andone or more lower antennas (as an example). An upper antenna may, forexample, be formed at the upper end of device 10 in region 20. A lowerantenna may, for example, be formed at the lower end of device 10 inregion 22. Additional antennas may be formed along the edges of housing12 extending between regions 20 and 22 if desired. The antennas may beused separately to cover identical communications bands, overlappingcommunications bands, or separate communications bands. The antennas maybe used to implement an antenna diversity scheme or amultiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna scheme. Other antennas forcovering any other desired frequencies may also be mounted at anydesired locations within the interior of device 10. The example of FIG.1 is merely illustrative. If desired, housing 12 may have other shapes(e.g., a square shape, cylindrical shape, spherical shape, combinationsof these and/or different shapes, etc.).

A schematic diagram of illustrative components that may be used indevice 10 is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, device 10 may includecontrol circuitry 28. Control circuitry 28 may include storage such asstorage circuitry 30. Storage circuitry 30 may include hard disk drivestorage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or otherelectrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form asolid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamicrandom-access-memory), etc. Control circuitry 28 may include processingcircuitry such as processing circuitry 32. Processing circuitry 32 maybe used to control the operation of device 10. Processing circuitry 32may include on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digitalsignal processors, host processors, baseband processor integratedcircuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processingunits (CPUs), etc. Control circuitry 28 may be configured to performoperations in device 10 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware orcircuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performingoperations in device 10 may be stored on storage circuitry 30 (e.g.,storage circuitry 30 may include non-transitory (tangible) computerreadable storage media that stores the software code). The software codemay sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data,instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry 30 maybe executed by processing circuitry 32.

Control circuitry 28 may be used to run software on device 10 such asinternet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP)telephone call applications, email applications, media playbackapplications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactionswith external equipment, control circuitry 28 may be used inimplementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that maybe implemented using control circuitry 28 include internet protocols,wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for othershort-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth®protocol or other WPAN protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols, cellulartelephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols,satellite navigation system protocols, antenna-based spatial rangingprotocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or otherdesired range detection protocols for signals conveyed at millimeter andcentimeter wave frequencies), etc. Each communication protocol may beassociated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) thatspecifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing theprotocol.

Device 10 may include input-output circuitry 24. Input-output circuitry24 may include input-output devices 26. Input-output devices 26 may beused to allow data to be supplied to device 10 and to allow data to beprovided from device 10 to external devices. Input-output devices 26 mayinclude user interface devices, data port devices, sensors, and otherinput-output components. For example, input-output devices may includetouch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons,joysticks, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards,microphones, cameras, speakers, status indicators, light sources, audiojacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, lightsensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers or other components that can detectmotion and device orientation relative to the Earth, capacitancesensors, proximity sensors (e.g., a capacitive proximity sensor and/oran infrared proximity sensor), magnetic sensors, and other sensors andinput-output components.

Input-output circuitry 24 may include wireless circuitry such aswireless circuitry 34 for wirelessly conveying radio-frequency signals.While control circuitry 28 is shown separately from wireless circuitry34 in the example of FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity, wireless circuitry34 may include processing circuitry that forms a part of processingcircuitry 32 and/or storage circuitry that forms a part of storagecircuitry 30 of control circuitry 28 (e.g., portions of controlcircuitry 28 may be implemented on wireless circuitry 34). As anexample, control circuitry 28 may include baseband processor circuitryor other control components that form a part of wireless circuitry 34.

Wireless circuitry 34 may include millimeter and centimeter wavetransceiver circuitry such as millimeter/centimeter wave transceivercircuitry 38. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 maysupport communications at frequencies between about 10 GHz and 300 GHz.For example, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 maysupport communications in Extremely High Frequency (EHF) or millimeterwave communications bands between about 30 GHz and 300 GHz and/or incentimeter wave communications bands between about 10 GHz and 30 GHz(sometimes referred to as Super High Frequency (SHF) bands). Asexamples, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 maysupport communications in an IEEE K communications band between about 18GHz and 27 GHz, a K_(a) communications band between about 26.5 GHz and40 GHz, a K_(u) communications band between about 12 GHz and 18 GHz, a Vcommunications band between about 40 GHz and 75 GHz, a W communicationsband between about 75 GHz and 110 GHz, or any other desired frequencyband between approximately 10 GHz and 300 GHz. If desired,millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 may support IEEE802.11ad communications at 60 GHz and/or 5^(th) generation mobilenetworks or 5^(th) generation wireless systems (5G) communications bandsbetween 27 GHz and 90 GHz. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceivercircuitry 38 may be formed from one or more integrated circuits (e.g.,multiple integrated circuits mounted on a common printed circuit in asystem-in-package device, one or more integrated circuits mounted ondifferent substrates, etc.).

If desired, millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38(sometimes referred to herein simply as transceiver circuitry 38 ormillimeter/centimeter wave circuitry 38) may perform spatial rangingoperations using radio-frequency signals at millimeter and/or centimeterwave signals that are transmitted and received by millimeter/centimeterwave transceiver circuitry 38. The received signals may be a version ofthe transmitted signals that have been reflected off of external objectsand back towards device 10. Control circuitry 28 may process thetransmitted and received signals to detect or estimate a range betweendevice 10 and one or more external objects in the surroundings of device10 (e.g., objects external to device 10 such as the body of a user orother persons, other devices, animals, furniture, walls, or otherobjects or obstacles in the vicinity of device 10). If desired, controlcircuitry 28 may also process the transmitted and received signals toidentify a two or three-dimensional spatial location of the externalobjects relative to device 10.

Spatial ranging operations performed by millimeter/centimeter wavetransceiver circuitry 38 are unidirectional. Millimeter/centimeter wavetransceiver circuitry 38 may additionally or alternatively performbidirectional communications with external wireless equipment.Bidirectional communications involve both the transmission of wirelessdata by millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 and thereception of wireless data that has been transmitted by externalwireless equipment. The wireless data may, for example, include datathat has been encoded into corresponding data packets such as wirelessdata associated with a telephone call, streaming media content, internetbrowsing, wireless data associated with software applications running ondevice 10, email messages, etc.

If desired, wireless circuitry 34 may include transceiver circuitry forhandling communications at frequencies below 10 GHz such asnon-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 36.Non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 36 may includewireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver circuitry that handles2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) communications,wireless personal area network (WPAN) transceiver circuitry that handlesthe 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band, cellular telephonetransceiver circuitry that handles cellular telephone communicationsbands from 700 to 960 MHz, 1710 to 2170 MHz, 2300 to 2700 MHz, and/or orany other desired cellular telephone communications bands between 600MHz and 4000 MHz, GPS receiver circuitry that receives GPS signals at1575 MHz or signals for handling other satellite positioning data (e.g.,GLONASS signals at 1609 MHz), television receiver circuitry, AM/FM radioreceiver circuitry, paging system transceiver circuitry, ultra-wideband(UWB) transceiver circuitry, near field communications (NFC) circuitry,etc. Non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 36 andmillimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 may each include oneor more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise inputamplifiers, passive radio-frequency components, switching circuitry,transmission line structures, and other circuitry for handlingradio-frequency signals. Non-millimeter/centimeter wave transceivercircuitry 36 may be omitted if desired.

Wireless circuitry 34 may include antennas 40. Non-millimeter/centimeterwave transceiver circuitry 36 may convey radio-frequency signals below10 GHz using one or more antennas 40. Millimeter/centimeter wavetransceiver circuitry 38 may convey radio-frequency signals above 10 GHz(e.g., at millimeter wave and/or centimeter wave frequencies) usingantennas 40. In general, transceiver circuitry 36 and 38 may beconfigured to cover (handle) any suitable communications (frequency)bands of interest. The transceiver circuitry may convey radio-frequencysignals using antennas 40 (e.g., antennas 40 may convey theradio-frequency signals for the transceiver circuitry). The term “conveyradio-frequency signals” as used herein means the transmission and/orreception of the radio-frequency signals (e.g., for performingunidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications withexternal wireless communications equipment). Antennas 40 may transmitthe radio-frequency signals by radiating the radio-frequency signalsinto free space (or to freespace through intervening device structuressuch as a dielectric cover layer). Antennas 40 may additionally oralternatively receive the radio-frequency signals from free space (e.g.,through intervening devices structures such as a dielectric coverlayer). The transmission and reception of radio-frequency signals byantennas 40 each involve the excitation or resonance of antenna currentson an antenna resonating element in the antenna by the radio-frequencysignals within the frequency band(s) of operation of the antenna.

In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, andother long-range links, radio-frequency signals are typically used toconvey data over thousands of feet or miles. In Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®links at 2.4 and 5 GHz and other short-range wireless links,radio-frequency signals are typically used to convey data over tens orhundreds of feet. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38may convey radio-frequency signals over short distances that travel overa line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter andcentimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays and beam steeringtechniques may be used (e.g., schemes in which antenna signal phaseand/or magnitude for each antenna in an array are adjusted to performbeam steering). Antenna diversity schemes may also be used to ensurethat the antennas that have become blocked or that are otherwisedegraded due to the operating environment of device 10 can be switchedout of use and higher-performing antennas used in their place.

Antennas 40 in wireless circuitry 34 may be formed using any suitableantenna types. For example, antennas 40 may include antennas withresonating elements that are formed from stacked patch antennastructures, loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures,inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planarinverted-F antenna structures, monopole antenna structures, dipoleantenna structures, helical antenna structures, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antennastructures, hybrids of these designs, etc. In another suitablearrangement, antennas 40 may include antennas with dielectric resonatingelements such as dielectric resonator antennas. If desired, one or moreof antennas 40 may be cavity-backed antennas. Different types ofantennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. Forexample, one type of antenna may be used in forming anon-millimeter/centimeter wave wireless link fornon-millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 36 and another typeof antenna may be used in conveying radio-frequency signals atmillimeter and/or centimeter wave frequencies for millimeter/centimeterwave transceiver circuitry 38. Antennas 40 that are used to conveyradio-frequency signals at millimeter and centimeter wave frequenciesmay be arranged in one or more phased antenna arrays.

A schematic diagram of an antenna 40 that may be formed in a phasedantenna array for conveying radio-frequency signals at millimeter andcentimeter wave frequencies is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3,antenna 40 may be coupled to millimeter/centimeter (MM/CM) wavetransceiver circuitry 38. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceivercircuitry 38 may be coupled to antenna feed 44 of antenna 40 using atransmission line path that includes radio-frequency transmission line42. Radio-frequency transmission line 42 may include a positive signalconductor such as signal conductor 46 and may include a ground conductorsuch as ground conductor 48. Ground conductor 48 may be coupled to theantenna ground for antenna 40 (e.g., over a ground antenna feed terminalof antenna feed 44 located at the antenna ground). Signal conductor 46may be coupled to the antenna resonating element for antenna 40. Forexample, signal conductor 46 may be coupled to a positive antenna feedterminal of antenna feed 44 located at the antenna resonating element.

In another suitable arrangement, antenna 40 may be a probe-fed antennathat is fed using a feed probe. In this arrangement, antenna feed 44 maybe implemented as a feed probe. Signal conductor 46 may be coupled tothe feed probe. Radio-frequency transmission line 42 may conveyradio-frequency signals to and from the feed probe. When radio-frequencysignals are being transmitted over the feed probe and the antenna, thefeed probe may excite the resonating element for the antenna (e.g., mayexcite electromagnetic resonant modes of a dielectric antenna resonatingelement for antenna 40). The resonating element may radiate theradio-frequency signals in response to excitation by the feed probe.Similarly, when radio-frequency signals are received by the antenna(e.g., from free space), the radio-frequency signals may excite theresonating element for the antenna (e.g., may excite electromagneticresonant modes of the dielectric antenna resonating element for antenna40). This may produce antenna currents on the feed probe and thecorresponding radio-frequency signals may be passed to the transceivercircuitry over the radio-frequency transmission line.

Radio-frequency transmission line 42 may include a striplinetransmission line (sometimes referred to herein simply as a stripline),a coaxial cable, a coaxial probe realized by metalized vias, amicrostrip transmission line, an edge-coupled microstrip transmissionline, an edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, a waveguidestructure, combinations of these, etc. Multiple types of transmissionlines may be used to form the transmission line path that couplesmillimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 to antenna feed 44.Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry,phase shifter circuitry, amplifier circuitry, and/or other circuitry maybe interposed on radio-frequency transmission line 42, if desired.

Radio-frequency transmission lines in device 10 may be integrated intoceramic substrates, rigid printed circuit boards, and/or flexibleprinted circuits. In one suitable arrangement, radio-frequencytransmission lines in device 10 may be integrated within multilayerlaminated structures (e.g., layers of a conductive material such ascopper and a dielectric material such as a resin that are laminatedtogether without intervening adhesive) that may be folded or bent inmultiple dimensions (e.g., two or three dimensions) and that maintain abent or folded shape after bending (e.g., the multilayer laminatedstructures may be folded into a particular three-dimensional shape toroute around other device components and may be rigid enough to hold itsshape after folding without being held in place by stiffeners or otherstructures). All of the multiple layers of the laminated structures maybe batch laminated together (e.g., in a single pressing process) withoutadhesive (e.g., as opposed to performing multiple pressing processes tolaminate multiple layers together with adhesive).

FIG. 4 shows how antennas 40 for handling radio-frequency signals atmillimeter and centimeter wave frequencies may be formed in a phasedantenna array. As shown in FIG. 4, phased antenna array 54 (sometimesreferred to herein as array 54, antenna array 54, or array 54 ofantennas 40) may be coupled to radio-frequency transmission lines 42.For example, a first antenna 40-1 in phased antenna array 54 may becoupled to a first radio-frequency transmission line 42-1, a secondantenna 40-2 in phased antenna array 54 may be coupled to a secondradio-frequency transmission line 42-2, an Nth antenna 40-N in phasedantenna array 54 may be coupled to an Nth radio-frequency transmissionline 42-N, etc. While antennas 40 are described herein as forming aphased antenna array, the antennas 40 in phased antenna array 54 maysometimes also be referred to as collectively forming a single phasedarray antenna.

Antennas 40 in phased antenna array 54 may be arranged in any desirednumber of rows and columns or in any other desired pattern (e.g., theantennas need not be arranged in a grid pattern having rows andcolumns). During signal transmission operations, radio-frequencytransmission lines 42 may be used to supply signals (e.g.,radio-frequency signals such as millimeter wave and/or centimeter wavesignals) from millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 (FIG.3) to phased antenna array 54 for wireless transmission. During signalreception operations, radio-frequency transmission lines 42 may be usedto supply signals received at phased antenna array 54 (e.g., fromexternal wireless equipment or transmitted signals that have beenreflected off of external objects) to millimeter/centimeter wavetransceiver circuitry 38 (FIG. 3).

The use of multiple antennas 40 in phased antenna array 54 allows beamsteering arrangements to be implemented by controlling the relativephases and magnitudes (amplitudes) of the radio-frequency signalsconveyed by the antennas. In the example of FIG. 4, antennas 40 eachhave a corresponding radio-frequency phase and magnitude controller 50(e.g., a first phase and magnitude controller 50-1 interposed onradio-frequency transmission line 42-1 may control phase and magnitudefor radio-frequency signals handled by antenna 40-1, a second phase andmagnitude controller 50-2 interposed on radio-frequency transmissionline 42-2 may control phase and magnitude for radio-frequency signalshandled by antenna 40-2, an Nth phase and magnitude controller 50-Ninterposed on radio-frequency transmission line 42-N may control phaseand magnitude for radio-frequency signals handled by antenna 40-N,etc.).

Phase and magnitude controllers 50 may each include circuitry foradjusting the phase of the radio-frequency signals on radio-frequencytransmission lines 42 (e.g., phase shifter circuits) and/or circuitryfor adjusting the magnitude of the radio-frequency signals onradio-frequency transmission lines 42 (e.g., power amplifier and/or lownoise amplifier circuits). Phase and magnitude controllers 50 maysometimes be referred to collectively herein as beam steering circuitry(e.g., beam steering circuitry that steers the beam of radio-frequencysignals transmitted and/or received by phased antenna array 54).

Phase and magnitude controllers 50 may adjust the relative phases and/ormagnitudes of the transmitted signals that are provided to each of theantennas in phased antenna array 54 and may adjust the relative phasesand/or magnitudes of the received signals that are received by phasedantenna array 54. Phase and magnitude controllers 50 may, if desired,include phase detection circuitry for detecting the phases of thereceived signals that are received by phased antenna array 54. The term“beam” or “signal beam” may be used herein to collectively refer towireless signals that are transmitted and received by phased antennaarray 54 in a particular direction. The signal beam may exhibit a peakgain that is oriented in a particular pointing direction at acorresponding pointing angle (e.g., based on constructive anddestructive interference from the combination of signals from eachantenna in the phased antenna array). The term “transmit beam” maysometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals that aretransmitted in a particular direction whereas the term “receive beam”may sometimes be used herein to refer to radio-frequency signals thatare received from a particular direction.

If, for example, phase and magnitude controllers 50 are adjusted toproduce a first set of phases and/or magnitudes for transmittedradio-frequency signals, the transmitted signals will form a transmitbeam as shown by beam B1 of FIG. 4 that is oriented in the direction ofpoint A. If, however, phase and magnitude controllers 50 are adjusted toproduce a second set of phases and/or magnitudes for the transmittedsignals, the transmitted signals will form a transmit beam as shown bybeam B2 that is oriented in the direction of point B. Similarly, ifphase and magnitude controllers 50 are adjusted to produce the first setof phases and/or magnitudes, radio-frequency signals (e.g.,radio-frequency signals in a receive beam) may be received from thedirection of point A, as shown by beam B1. If phase and magnitudecontrollers 50 are adjusted to produce the second set of phases and/ormagnitudes, radio-frequency signals may be received from the directionof point B, as shown by beam B2.

Each phase and magnitude controller 50 may be controlled to produce adesired phase and/or magnitude based on a corresponding control signal52 received from control circuitry 28 of FIG. 2 (e.g., the phase and/ormagnitude provided by phase and magnitude controller 50-1 may becontrolled using control signal 52-1, the phase and/or magnitudeprovided by phase and magnitude controller 50-2 may be controlled usingcontrol signal 52-2, etc.). If desired, the control circuitry mayactively adjust control signals 52 in real time to steer the transmit orreceive beam in different desired directions over time. Phase andmagnitude controllers 50 may provide information identifying the phaseof received signals to control circuitry 28 if desired. A codebook ondevice 10 may map each beam pointing angle to a corresponding set ofphase and magnitude values to be provided to phase and magnitudecontrollers 50 (e.g., the control circuitry may generate control signals52 based on information from the codebook).

When performing wireless communications using radio-frequency signals atmillimeter and centimeter wave frequencies, the radio-frequency signalsare conveyed over a line of sight path between phased antenna array 54and external communications equipment. If the external object is locatedat point A of FIG. 4, phase and magnitude controllers 50 may be adjustedto steer the signal beam towards point A (e.g., to steer the pointingdirection of the signal beam towards point A). Phased antenna array 54may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in the direction ofpoint A. Similarly, if the external communications equipment is locatedat point B, phase and magnitude controllers 50 may be adjusted to steerthe signal beam towards point B (e.g., to steer the pointing directionof the signal beam towards point B). Phased antenna array 54 maytransmit and receive radio-frequency signals in the direction of pointB. In the example of FIG. 4, beam steering is shown as being performedover a single degree of freedom for the sake of simplicity (e.g.,towards the left and right on the page of FIG. 4). However, in practice,the beam may be steered over two or more degrees of freedom (e.g., inthree dimensions, into and out of the page and to the left and right onthe page of FIG. 4). Phased antenna array 54 may have a correspondingfield of view over which beam steering can be performed (e.g., in ahemisphere or a segment of a hemisphere over the phased antenna array).If desired, device 10 may include multiple phased antenna arrays thateach face a different direction to provide coverage from multiple sidesof the device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of device 10 in an example wheredevice 10 has multiple phased antenna arrays. As shown in FIG. 5,peripheral conductive housing structures 12W may extend around the(lateral) periphery of device 10 and may extend from rear housing wall12R to display 14. Display 14 may have a display module such as displaymodule 64 (sometimes referred to as a display panel or conductivedisplay structures). Display module 64 may include pixel circuitry,touch sensor circuitry, force sensor circuitry, and/or any other desiredcircuitry for forming active area AA of display 14. Display 14 mayinclude a dielectric cover layer such as display cover layer 56 thatoverlaps display module 64. Display module 64 may emit image light andmay receive sensor input through display cover layer 56. Display coverlayer 56 and display 14 may be mounted to peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W. The lateral area of display 14 that does not overlapdisplay module 64 may form inactive area IA of display 14.

Device 10 may include multiple phased antenna arrays (e.g., phasedantenna arrays 54 of FIG. 4). For example, device 10 may include arear-facing phased antenna array. The rear-facing phased antenna arraymay be adhered to rear housing wall 12R using adhesive, may be pressedagainst (e.g., in contact with) rear housing wall 12R, or may be spacedapart from rear housing wall 12R. The rear-facing phased antenna arraymay transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals 60 at millimeter andcentimeter wave frequencies through rear housing wall 12R. In scenarioswhere rear housing wall 12R includes metal portions, radio-frequencysignals 60 may be conveyed through an aperture or opening in the metalportions of rear housing wall 12R or may be conveyed through otherdielectric portions of rear housing wall 12R. The aperture may beoverlapped by a dielectric cover layer or dielectric coating thatextends across the lateral area of rear housing wall 12R (e.g., betweenperipheral conductive housing structures 12W). The rear-facing phasedantenna array may perform beam steering for radio-frequency signals 60across at least some of the hemisphere below the rear face of device 10.

The field of view of the rear-facing phased antenna array is limited tothe hemisphere under the rear face of device 10. Display module 64 andother components 58 (e.g., portions of input-output circuitry 24 orcontrol circuitry 28 of FIG. 2, a battery for device 10, etc.) in device10 include conductive structures. If care is not taken, these conductivestructures may block radio-frequency signals from being conveyed by aphased antenna array within device 10 across the hemisphere over thefront face of device 10. While a front-facing phased antenna array forcovering the hemisphere over the front face of device 10 may be mountedagainst display cover layer 56 within inactive area IA, there may beinsufficient space between the lateral periphery of display module 64and peripheral conductive housing structures 12W to form all of thecircuitry and radio-frequency transmission lines necessary to fullysupport the phased antenna array, particularly as the size of activearea AA is maximized.

In order to mitigate these issues and provide coverage through the frontface of device 10, a front-facing phased antenna array may be mountedwithin peripheral region 66 of device 10. The antennas in thefront-facing phased antenna array may include dielectric resonatorantennas. Dielectric resonator antennas may occupy less area in the X-Yplane of FIG. 5 than other types of antennas such as patch antennas andslot antennas. Implementing the antennas as dielectric resonatorantennas may allow the radiating elements of the front-facing phasedantenna array to fit within inactive area IA between display module 64and peripheral conductive housing structures 12W. At the same time, theradio-frequency transmission lines and other components for the phasedantenna array may be located behind (under) display module 64. Thefront-facing phased antenna array may transmit and/or receiveradio-frequency signals 62 at millimeter and centimeter wave frequenciesthrough display cover layer 56. The front-facing phased antenna arraymay perform beam steering for radio-frequency signals 62 across at leastsome of the hemisphere above the front face of device 10.

Device 10 may include both a front-facing phased antenna array (e.g.,within peripheral region 66) and a rear-facing phased antenna array(e.g., within peripheral region 66 or elsewhere between display module64 and rear housing wall 12R). If desired, device 10 may additionally oralternatively include one or more side-facing phased antenna arrays. Theside-facing phased antenna arrays may be aligned with dielectric antennawindows in peripheral conductive housing structures 12W. The front,rear, and/or side-facing phased antenna arrays may be omitted ifdesired. The front and rear-facing phased antenna arrays (and optionallythe side-facing phased antenna arrays) may collectively provideradio-frequency cover across an entire sphere around device 10.

The phased antenna array(s) 54 in device 10 may be formed incorresponding integrated antenna modules. Each antenna module mayinclude a substrate such as a rigid printed circuit board substrate, aflexible printed circuit substrate, a plastic substrate, or a ceramicsubstrate, and one or more phased antenna arrays mounted to thesubstrate. Each antenna module may also include electronic components(e.g., radio-frequency components) that support the operations of thephased antenna array(s) therein. For example, each antenna module mayinclude a radio-frequency integrated circuit (e.g., an integratedcircuit chip) or other circuitry mounted to the corresponding substrate.Transmission line structures (e.g., radio-frequency signal traces),conductive vias, conductive traces, solder balls, or other conductiveinterconnect structures may couple the radio-frequency integratedcircuit to each of the antennas in the phased antenna array(s) of theantenna module. The radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) and/orother electronic components in the antenna module may includeradio-frequency components such as amplifier circuitry, phase shiftercircuitry (e.g., phase and magnitude controllers 50 of FIG. 4), and/orother circuitry that operates on radio-frequency signals. Therear-facing, front-facing, and/or side-facing phased antenna array(s) indevice 10 may be formed within respective antenna modules. In anothersuitable arrangement, a rear-facing and front-facing phased antennaarray may be formed as a part of the same antenna module in device 10.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an illustrative probe-fed dielectricresonator antenna that may be used in forming the antennas of any of thephased antenna arrays in device 10. Antenna 40 of FIG. 6 may be adielectric resonator antenna. In this example, antenna 40 includes adielectric resonating element 68 mounted to an underlying substrate suchas substrate 72. Substrate 72 may, for example, be the substrate of acorresponding antenna module in device 10. Substrate 72 may be a rigidprinted circuit board substrate, a flexible printed circuit substrate, aceramic substrate, a plastic substrate, or any other desired substrate.

In the example of FIG. 6, antenna 40 is a dual-polarization antenna thatconveys both vertically and horizontally polarized radio-frequencysignals 84 (e.g., linearly-polarized signals having orthogonal electricfield orientations). This example is merely illustrative and, in anothersuitable arrangement, antenna 40 may only cover a single polarization.Antenna 40 may be fed using radio-frequency transmission lines that areformed on and/or embedded within flexible substrate 72 such asradio-frequency transmission lines 88 (e.g., a first radio-frequencytransmission line 88V for conveying vertically-polarized signals and asecond radio-frequency transmission line 88H for conveyinghorizontally-polarized signals). Radio-frequency transmission lines 88Vand 88H may, for example, form part of radio-frequency transmissionlines 42 of FIGS. 3 and 4. Radio-frequency transmission lines 88V and88H may include ground traces (e.g., for forming part of groundconductor 48 of FIG. 3) and signal traces (e.g., for forming part ofsignal conductor 46 of FIG. 3) on and/or embedded within substrate 72.Radio-frequency transmission lines 88V and 88H may be coupled to aradio-frequency integrated circuit or other radio-frequency componentson the antenna module that includes antenna 40.

Dielectric resonating element 68 of antenna 40 may be formed from acolumn (pillar) of dielectric material mounted to the top surface ofsubstrate 72. If desired, dielectric resonating element 68 may beembedded within (e.g., laterally surrounded by) a dielectric substratemounted to the top surface of substrate 72 such as dielectric substrate70. Dielectric resonating element 68 may have a height 96 that extendsfrom a bottom surface 82 at substrate 72 to an opposing top surface 80.Dielectric substrate 70 (sometimes referred to herein as over-moldstructure 70) may extend across some or all of height 96. Top surface 80may lie flush with the top surface of dielectric substrate 70, mayprotrude beyond the top surface of dielectric substrate 70, ordielectric substrate 70 may extend over and cover top surface 80 ofdielectric resonating element 68.

The operating (resonant) frequency of antenna 40 may be selected byadjusting the dimensions of dielectric resonating element 68 (e.g., inthe direction of the X, Y, and/or Z axes of FIG. 6). Dielectricresonating element 68 may be formed from a column of dielectric materialhaving dielectric constant dk1. Dielectric constant dk1 may berelatively high (e.g., greater than 10.0, greater than 12.0, greaterthan 15.0, greater than 20.0, between 22.0 and 25.0, between 15.0 and40.0, between 10.0 and 50.0, between 18.0 and 30.0, between 12.0 and45.0, etc.). In one suitable arrangement, dielectric resonating element68 may be formed from zirconia or a ceramic material. Other dielectricmaterials may be used to form dielectric resonating element 68 ifdesired.

Dielectric substrate 70 may be formed from a material having dielectricconstant dk2. Dielectric constant dk2 may be less than dielectricconstant dk1 of dielectric resonating element 68 (e.g., less than 18.0,less than 15.0, less than 10.0, between 3.0 and 4.0, less than 5.0,between 2.0 and 5.0, etc.). Dielectric constant dk2 may be less thandielectric constant dk1 by at least 10.0, 5.0, 15.0, 12.0, 6.0, etc. Inone suitable arrangement, dielectric substrate 70 may be formed frommolded plastic (e.g., injection molded plastic). Other dielectricmaterials may be used to form dielectric substrate 70 or dielectricsubstrate 70 may be omitted if desired. The difference in dielectricconstant between dielectric resonating element 68 and dielectricsubstrate 70 may establish a radio-frequency boundary condition betweendielectric resonating element 68 and dielectric substrate 70 from bottomsurface 82 to top surface 80. This may configure dielectric resonatingelement 68 to serve as a resonating waveguide for propagatingradio-frequency signals 84 at millimeter and centimeter wavefrequencies.

Dielectric substrate 70 may have a width (thickness) 94 on some or allsides of dielectric resonating element 68. Width 94 may be selected toisolate dielectric resonating element 68 from surrounding devicestructures and/or from other dielectric resonating elements in the sameantenna module and to minimize signal reflections in dielectricsubstrate 70. Width 94 may be, for example, at least one-tenth of theeffective wavelength of the radio-frequency signals in a dielectricmaterial of dielectric constant dk2. Width 94 may be 0.4-0.5 mm, 0.3-0.5mm, 0.2-0.6 mm, greater than 0.1 mm, greater than 0.3 mm, 0.2-2.0 mm,0.3-1.0 mm, or greater than between 0.4 and 0.5 mm, just as a fewexamples.

Dielectric resonating element 68 may radiate radio-frequency signals 84when excited by the signal conductor for radio-frequency transmissionlines 88V and/or 88H. In some scenarios, a slot is formed in groundtraces on substrate 72, the slot is indirectly fed by a signal conductorembedded within substrate 72, and the slot excites dielectric resonatingelement 68 to radiate radio-frequency signals 84. However, in thesescenarios, the radiating characteristics of the antenna may be affectedby how the dielectric resonating element is mounted to substrate 72. Forexample, air gaps or layers of adhesive used to mount the dielectricresonating element to the flexible printed circuit can be difficult tocontrol and can undesirably affect the radiating characteristics of theantenna. In order to mitigate the issues associated with excitingdielectric resonating element 68 using an underlying slot, antenna 40may be fed using one or more radio-frequency feed probes 100 such asfeed probes 100V and 100H of FIG. 6. Feed probes 100 may form part ofthe antenna feeds for antenna 40 (e.g., antenna feed 44 of FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 6, feed probe 100V may be formed from conductivestructure 86V and feed probe 100H may be formed from conductivestructure 86H. Conductive structure 86V may include a first portionpatterned onto or pressed against a first sidewall 102 of dielectricresonating element 68. If desired, conductive structure 86V may alsoinclude a second portion on the surface of substrate 72 and the secondportion may be coupled to the signal traces of radio-frequencytransmission line 88V (e.g., using solder, welds, conductive adhesive,etc.). The second portion of conductive structure 86V may be omitted ifdesired (e.g., the signal traces in radio-frequency transmission line88V may be soldered directly to the portion of conductive structure 86Von the first sidewall 102). Conductive structure 86V may includeconductive traces patterned directly onto the first sidewall 102 or mayinclude stamped sheet metal in scenarios where conductive structure 86Vis pressed against the first sidewall 102, as examples.

The signal traces in radio-frequency transmission line 88V may conveyradio-frequency signals to and from feed probe 100V. Feed probe 100V mayelectromagnetically couple the radio-frequency signals on the signaltraces of radio-frequency transmission line 88V into dielectricresonating element 68. This may serve to excite one or moreelectromagnetic modes (e.g., radio-frequency cavity or waveguide modes)of dielectric resonating element 68. When excited by feed probe 100V,the electromagnetic modes of dielectric resonating element 68 mayconfigure the dielectric resonating element to serve as a waveguide thatpropagates the wavefronts of radio-frequency signals 84 along the heightof dielectric resonating element 68 (e.g., in the direction of theZ-axis and along the central/longitudinal axis 76 of dielectricresonating element 68). The radio-frequency signals 84 conveyed by feedprobe 100V may be vertically polarized.

Similarly, conductive structure 86H may include a first portionpatterned onto or pressed against a second sidewall 102 of dielectricresonating element 68. If desired, conductive structure 86H may alsoinclude a second portion on the surface of substrate 72 and the secondportion may be coupled to the signal traces of radio-frequencytransmission line 88H (e.g., using solder, welds, conductive adhesive,etc.). The second portion of conductive structure 86H may be omitted ifdesired (e.g., the signal traces in radio-frequency transmission line88H may be soldered directly to the conductive structure 86H on sidewall102). Conductive structure 86H may include conductive traces patterneddirectly onto the second sidewall 102 or may include stamped sheet metalin scenarios where conductive structure 86H is pressed against thesecond sidewall 102, as examples.

The signal traces in radio-frequency transmission line 88H may conveyradio-frequency signals to and from feed probe 100H. Feed probe 100H mayelectromagnetically couple the radio-frequency signals on the signaltraces of radio-frequency transmission line 88H into dielectricresonating element 68. This may serve to excite one or moreelectromagnetic modes (e.g., radio-frequency cavity or waveguide modes)of dielectric resonating element 68. When excited by feed probe 100H,the electromagnetic modes of dielectric resonating element 68 mayconfigure the dielectric resonating element to serve as a waveguide thatpropagates the wavefronts of radio-frequency signals 84 along the heightof dielectric resonating element 68 (e.g., along central/longitudinalaxis 76 of dielectric resonating element 68). The radio-frequencysignals 84 conveyed by feed probe 100H may be horizontally polarized.

Similarly, during signal reception, radio-frequency signals 84 may bereceived by antenna 40. The received radio-frequency signals may excitethe electromagnetic modes of dielectric resonating element 68, resultingin the propagation of the radio-frequency signals down the height ofdielectric resonating element 68. Feed probe 100V may couple thereceived vertically-polarized signals onto radio-frequency transmissionline 88V. Feed probe 100H may couple the received horizontally-polarizedsignals onto radio-frequency transmission line 88H. Radio-frequencytransmission lines 88H and 88V may pass the received radio-frequencysignals to millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry (e.g.,millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 of FIGS. 2 and 3)through the radio-frequency integrated circuit for antenna 40. Therelatively large difference in dielectric constant between dielectricresonating element 68 and dielectric substrate 70 may allow dielectricresonating element 68 to convey radio-frequency signals 84 with arelatively high antenna efficiency (e.g., by establishing a strongboundary between dielectric resonating element 68 and dielectricsubstrate 70 for the radio-frequency signals). The relatively highdielectric constant of dielectric resonating element 68 may also allowthe dielectric resonating element 68 to occupy a relatively small volumecompared to scenarios where materials with a lower dielectric constantare used.

The dimensions of feed probes 100V and 100H (e.g., height 90 and width92 on sidewalls 102) may be selected to help match the impedance ofradio-frequency transmission lines 88V and 88H to the impedance ofdielectric resonating element 68. As an example, width 92 may be between0.3 mm and 0.7 mm, between 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm, between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm,or other values. Height 90 may be between 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm, between 0.2mm and 0.8 mm, between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm, or other values. Height 90 maybe equal to width 92 or may be different than width 92. Feed probes 100Vand 100H may sometimes be referred to herein as feed conductors, feedpatches, or probe feeds. Dielectric resonating element 68 may sometimesbe referred to herein as a dielectric radiating element, dielectricradiator, dielectric resonator, dielectric antenna resonating element,dielectric column, dielectric pillar, radiating element, or resonatingelement. When fed by one or more feed probes such as feed probes 100Vand 100H, dielectric resonator antennas such as antenna 40 of FIG. 6 maysometimes be referred to herein as probe-fed dielectric resonatorantennas.

Antenna 40 may be included in a rear-facing, front-facing, orside-facing phased antenna array in device 10 (e.g., radio-frequencysignals 84 may form radio-frequency signals 62 or 60 of FIG. 5). Inscenarios where antenna 40 is formed in a front-facing phased antennaarray, top surface 80 may be pressed against, adhered to, or separatedfrom display cover layer 56 of FIG. 5. In scenarios where antenna 40 isformed in a rear-facing phased antenna array, top surface 80 may bepressed against, adhered to, or separated from rear housing wall 12R ofFIG. 5. An optional impedance matching layer may be interposed betweentop surface 80 and rear housing wall 12R or display cover layer 56. Theimpedance matching layer may have a dielectric constant that is betweendielectric constant dk1 and the dielectric constant of rear housing wall12R or display cover layer 56. If desired, the dielectric constant andthickness of the impedance matching layer may be selected to configurethe impedance matching layer to form a quarter-wave impedancetransformer for antenna 40 at the frequencies of operation of antenna40. This may configure the impedance matching layer to help minimizesignal reflections at the interfaces between top surface 80 and freespace exterior to device 10.

If desired, radio-frequency transmission lines 88V and 88H may includeimpedance matching structures (e.g., transmission line stubs) to helpmatch the impedance of dielectric resonating element 68. Both feedprobes 100H and 100V may be active at once so that antenna 40 conveysboth vertically and horizontally polarized signals at any given time. Ifdesired, the phases of the signals conveyed by feed probes 100H and 100Vmay be independently adjusted so that antenna 40 conveys radio-frequencysignals 84 with an elliptical or circular polarization. In anothersuitable arrangement, a single one of feed probes 100H and 100V may beactive at once so that antenna 40 conveys radio-frequency signals ofonly a single polarization at any given time. In another suitablearrangement, antenna 40 may be a single-polarization antenna whereradio-frequency transmission line 88V and feed probe 100V have beenomitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, dielectric resonating element 68 may have a height96, a length 74, and a width 73. Length 74, width 73, and height 96 maybe selected to provide dielectric resonating element 68 with acorresponding mix of electromagnetic cavity/waveguide modes that, whenexcited by feed probes 100H and/or 100V, configure antenna 40 to radiateat desired frequencies. For example, height 96 may be 2-10 mm, 4-6 mm,3-7 mm, 4.5-5.5 mm, or greater than 2 mm. Width 73 and length 74 mayeach be 0.5-1.0 mm, 0.4-1.2 mm, 0.7-0.9 mm, 0.5-2.0 mm, 1.5 mm-2.5 mm,1.7 mm-1.9 mm, 1.0 mm-3.0 mm, etc. Width 73 may be equal to length 74(e.g., dielectric resonating element 68 may have a square-shaped lateralprofile in the X-Y plane) or, in other arrangements, may be differentthan length 74 (e.g., dielectric resonating element 68 may have arectangular or non-rectangular lateral profile in the X-Y plane).Sidewalls 102 of dielectric resonating element 68 may directly contactthe surrounding dielectric substrate 70. Dielectric substrate 70 may bemolded over feed probes 100H and 100V or may include openings, notches,or other structures that accommodate the presence of feed probes 100Hand 100V. Each sidewall 102 may be planar or, if desired, one or moresidewall 102 may have a non-planar shape (e.g., a shape with planar andcurved portions, a planar shape with a notch or recessed portion, etc.).The example of FIG. 6 is merely illustrative and, if desired, dielectricresonating element 68 may have other shapes (e.g., shapes with anydesired number of straight and/or curved sidewalls 102).

In practice, if care is not taken, dielectric resonator antennas such asantenna 40 can be subject to undesirable cross-polarizationinterference. Cross-polarization interference can occur whenradio-frequency signals to be conveyed in a first polarization areundesirably transmitted or received using an antenna feed that is usedto convey radio-frequency signals in a second polarization. For example,cross-polarization interference may involve the leakage ofhorizontally-polarized signals onto feed probe 100V of FIG. 6 (e.g., afeed probe intended to convey vertically-polarized signals) and/or theleakage of vertically-polarized signals onto feed probe 100H of FIG. 6(e.g., a feed probe intended to convey horizontally-polarized signals).The cross-polarization interference can arise when the electric fieldproduced by feed probe 100V has components oriented at a mix ofdifferent angles or when the electric field produced by feed probe 100Hhas components oriented at a mix of different angles within dielectricresonating element 68. Cross-polarization interference can lead to adecrease in overall data throughput, errors in the transmitted orreceived data, or otherwise degraded antenna performance. These effectsare also particularly detrimental in scenarios where antenna 40 conveysindependent data streams using horizontal and vertical polarizations(e.g., under a MIMO scheme), as the cross-polarization interferencereduces the independence of the data streams. It would therefore bedesirable to be able to provide a dielectric resonator antenna such asantenna 40 with structures for mitigating cross polarizationinterference (e.g., for maximizing isolation between polarizationshandled by the antenna).

FIG. 7 is a top-down view of antenna 40 having structures for mitigatingcross polarization interference. In the example of FIG. 7, antenna 40 isa dual-polarization dielectric resonator antenna having feed probes 100Vand 100H for exciting different polarizations of dielectric resonatingelement 68.

As shown in FIG. 7, dielectric resonating element 68 may have arectangular lateral profile. Dielectric resonating element 68 may havefour sidewalls 102 (e.g., four vertical faces or surfaces orientedperpendicular to the X-Y plane) such as a first sidewall 102A, a secondsidewall 102B, a third sidewall 102C, and a fourth sidewall 102D. Thirdsidewall 102C may oppose first sidewall 102A and fourth sidewall 102Dmay oppose second sidewall 102B on dielectric resonating element 68.Conductive structure 86V of feed probe 100V may be patterned onto orpressed against first sidewall 102A. Conductive structure 86V may alsobe coupled to conductive trace 106V on the underlying substrate 72(e.g., using solder, welds, conductive adhesive, etc.). Conductive trace106V may be coupled to conductive trace 104V. Conductive traces 104V and106V may form part of the signal conductor for radio-frequencytransmission line 88V of FIG. 6. Similarly, conductive structure 86H offeed probe 100H may be patterned onto or pressed against second sidewall102B. Conductive structure 86H may also be coupled to conductive trace106H on substrate 72 (e.g., using solder, welds, conductive adhesive,etc.). Conductive traces 106H may be coupled to conductive trace 104H.Conductive traces 104H and 106H may form part of the signal conductorfor radio-frequency transmission line 88H of FIG. 6.

In order to mitigate cross polarization interference, parasitic elementssuch as parasitic elements 108H and 108V may be patterned onto thesidewalls of dielectric resonating element 68. Parasitic elements 108Hand 108V may, for example, be formed from floating patches of conductivematerial patterned onto or pressed against the sidewalls of dielectricresonating element 68 (e.g., conductive patches that are not coupled toground or the signal traces for antenna 40). As shown in FIG. 7,parasitic element 108H may be patterned onto or pressed against fourthsidewall 102D opposite feed probe 100H. Parasitic element 108V may bepatterned onto or pressed against third sidewall 102C opposite firstfeed probe 100V.

The presence of the conductive material in parasitic element 108H mayserve to change the boundary condition for the electric field excited byfeed probe 100H within dielectric resonating element 68. For example, inscenarios where parasitic element 108H is omitted, the electric fieldexcited by feed probe 100H may include a mix of different electric fieldcomponents oriented in different directions. This may lead tocross-polarization interference in which some vertically-polarizedsignals undesirably leak onto feed probe 100H. However, the boundarycondition created by parasitic element 108H may serve to align theelectric field excited by feed probe 100H in a single direction betweensidewalls 102B and 102D, as shown by arrows 112 (e.g., in a horizontaldirection parallel to the X-axis). Because the entire electric fieldexcited by feed probe 100H is horizontal, feed probe 100H may onlyconvey horizontally-polarized signals without vertically-polarizedsignals interfering with the horizontally-polarized signals.

Similarly, the presence of the conductive material in parasitic element108V may serve to change the boundary condition for the electric fieldexcited by feed probe 100V within dielectric resonating element 68. Forexample, in scenarios where parasitic element 108V is omitted, theelectric field excited by feed probe 100V may include a mix of differentelectric field components oriented in different directions. This maylead to cross-polarization interference in which somehorizontally-polarized signals undesirably leak onto feed probe 100V.However, the boundary condition created by parasitic element 108V mayserve to align the electric field excited by feed probe 100V in a singledirection between sidewalls 102A and 102C, as shown by arrows 110 (e.g.,in a vertical direction parallel to the Y-axis). Because the entireelectric field excited by feed probe 100V is vertical, feed probe 100Vmay only convey vertically-polarized signals withouthorizontally-polarized signals interfering with the vertically-polarizedsignals.

Parasitic element 108V may have a shape (e.g., lateral dimensions in theX-Z plane) that matches the shape of the portion of conductive structure86V on sidewall 102A (e.g., parasitic element 108V may have width 92 andheight 90 of FIG. 6. Similarly, parasitic element 100H may have a shape(e.g., lateral dimensions in the Y-Z plane) that matches the shape ofthe portion of conductive structure 86H on sidewall 102B (e.g.,parasitic element 108H may have width 92 and height 90 of FIG. 6). Thismay ensure that there are symmetric boundary conditions between feedprobe 100V and parasitic element 108V and between feed probe 100H andparasitic element 108H. Parasitic element 108V need not have the sameexact dimensions as feed probe 100V and parasitic element 108H need nothave the same exact dimensions as feed probe 100H if desired.

Antenna 40 may also include cross-polarization interference mitigatingparasitic elements in scenarios where antenna 40 is fed using only asingle feed probe. FIG. 8 is a top-down view showing how antenna 40 mayinclude cross-polarization interference mitigating parasitic elements inan arrangement where antenna 40 is fed using only a single feed probe100.

As shown in FIG. 8, antenna 40 may be fed using a single feed probe 100.Conductive structure 86 of feed probe 100 may be patterned onto sidewall102A of dielectric resonating element 68. Conductive structure 86 may becoupled to conductive trace 104 on the underlying substrate 72. Groundtraces such as ground traces 116 may also be patterned onto substrate72.

Antenna 40 may include one or more parasitic elements 114 such as afirst parasitic element 114-1 and a second parasitic element 114-2.Parasitic element 114-1 may be formed from a patch of conductive traces(e.g., a conductive patch) that is patterned onto sidewall 102D ofdielectric resonating element 68. Parasitic element 114-2 may be formedfrom a patch of conductive traces (e.g., a conductive patch) that ispatterned onto sidewall 102B of dielectric resonating element 68.Parasitic elements 114-1 and 114-2 may each have the same size andlateral dimensions (e.g., in the Y-Z plane) as conductive structure 86(e.g., in the X-Z plane), for example. Parasitic element 114-1 andparasitic element 114-2 may each be coupled to ground traces 116 atsubstrate 72 by conductive interconnect structures 118. Conductiveinterconnect structures 118 may include solder, welds, conductiveadhesive, conductive tape, conductive foam, conductive springs,conductive brackets, and/or any other desired conductive interconnectstructures. In this way, parasitic elements 114-1 and 114-2 may each beheld at a ground potential (e.g., parasitic elements 114-1 and 114-2 maybe grounded patches). Parasitic element 114-1 may be omitted orparasitic element 114-2 may be omitted if desired (e.g., antenna 40 mayinclude only a single parasitic element 114 if desired).

Parasitic element 114-1 and/or parasitic element 114-2 may serve toalter the electromagnetic boundary conditions of dielectric resonatingelement 68 to mitigate cross-polarization interference for feed probe100 (e.g., to isolate feed probe 100 from interference fromhorizontally-polarized signals in scenarios where feed probe 100 handlesvertically-polarized signals). Sidewall 102C of dielectric resonatingelement 68 may be free from conductive material such as parasiticelements 114.

Phased antenna array 54 of FIG. 4 (e.g., a front-facing phased antennaarray for conveying radio-frequency signals 62 through display coverlayer 56 of FIG. 5, a rear-facing phased antenna array for conveyingradio-frequency signals 60 through rear housing wall 12R of FIG. 5, or aside-facing phased antenna array) may include any desired number ofantennas 40 arranged in any desired pattern (e.g., a pattern having rowsand columns). Each of the antennas 40 in phased antenna array 54 may bedielectric resonator antenna such as the probe-fed dielectric resonatorantenna 40 of FIGS. 6-8 (e.g., having two feed probes 100V and 100H asshown in FIG. 6 and optionally parasitic elements 108V and 108H as shownin FIG. 7 or having one feed probe 100 and optionally parasitic elements114-1 and 114-2 as shown in FIG. 8). Phased antenna array 54 may beformed as a part of an integrated antenna module.

FIG. 9 is a top down view of an integrated antenna module that mayinclude phased antenna array 54. As shown in FIG. 9, phased antennaarray 54 may be formed as a part of an integrated antenna module such asantenna module 120. Antenna module 120 may include substrate 72. Phasedantenna array 54 may be mounted to a surface of substrate 72 such assurface 122. A board-to-board connector such as connector 123 may alsobe mounted to surface 122.

In the example of FIG. 9, phased antenna array 54 is a dual-band phasedantenna array having a first set of antennas 40L that conveyradio-frequency signals in a first frequency band and a second set ofantennas 40H that convey radio-frequency signals in a second frequencyband that is higher than the first frequency band. Antennas 40H maytherefore sometimes be referred to herein as high band antennas 40Hwhereas low band antennas 40L are sometimes referred to herein as lowband antennas 40L. As just one example, the first frequency band mayinclude frequencies between about 24 and 31 GHz and the second frequencyband may include frequencies between about 37 and 41 GHz.

High band antennas 40H may be dielectric resonator antennas havingdielectric resonating elements 68H embedded within dielectric substrate70. Low band antennas 40L may be dielectric resonator antennas havingdielectric resonating elements 68H embedded within dielectric substrate70. Dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over and/or around dielectricresonating elements 68H and 68L and may be mounted to surface 122 ofsubstrate 72. In order to support satisfactory beam forming, each highband antenna 40H may, for example, be separated from one or two adjacenthigh band antennas 40H in dielectric substrate 70 by a distance that isapproximately equal to one-half of the effective wavelengthcorresponding to a frequency in the second frequency band (e.g., wherethe effective wavelength is equal to a free space wavelength multipliedby a constant value determined by the dielectric material surroundingthe antennas). Similarly, each low band antenna 40L may, for example, beseparated from one or two adjacent low band antennas 40L in dielectricsubstrate 70 by a distance that is approximately equal to one-half ofthe effective wavelength corresponding to a frequency in the firstfrequency band.

In the example of FIG. 9, phased antenna array 54 is a one-dimensionalarray having four high band antennas 40H interleaved (interspersed) withfour low band antennas 40L arranged along a single longitudinal axis(e.g., running parallel to the X-axis). This is merely illustrative.Phased antenna array 54 may include any desired number of low bandantennas 40L and/or high band antennas 40H and the antennas may bearranged in any desired one or two-dimensional pattern.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of antenna module 120 (e.g., astaken in the direction of line AA' of FIG. 9). As shown in FIG. 10, thebottom surface 82 of the dielectric resonating elements 68L and 68H inphased antenna array 54 may be mounted to surface 122 of substrate 72.Dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over dielectric resonatingelements 68L and 68H and may be mounted to surface 122. If desired,dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over every dielectric resonatingelement 68L and 68H in phased antenna array 54 to form a singleintegrated structure, and the single integrated structure may then bemounted (e.g., surface-mounted) to surface 122 of substrate 72. Thismay, for example, minimize mechanical variations between the antennas inphased antenna array 54 that could otherwise deteriorate antennaperformance or mechanical reliability.

Substrate 72 may have a surface 124 opposite surface 122. Additionalelectronic components such as radio-frequency integrated circuit(RFIC)126 may be mounted to surface 124 of substrate 72. An optionalover-mold and/or shielding structures may be provided over RFIC 126 andsurface 124 of substrate 72 (not shown in the example of FIG. 10 for thesake of clarity). RFIC 126 may have terminals or ports that are coupledto corresponding contact pads on surface 124 using solder balls,conductive adhesive, conductive pins, conductive springs, and/or anyother desired conductive interconnect structures.

Radio-frequency transmission lines in substrate 72 (e.g.,radio-frequency transmission lines 88V and 88H of FIG. 6) may couple theports of RFIC 126 to the feed probes (e.g., feed probes 100V and 100H ofFIG. 6) on dielectric resonating elements 68L and 68H. Dielectricsubstrate 72 may include multiple stacked dielectric substrate layers(e.g., layers of printed circuit board material, flexible printedcircuit material, ceramic, etc.). The radio-frequency transmission linesin substrate 72 may include signal traces and ground traces on one ormore of the stacked dielectric substrate layers (e.g., embedded withinand/or on surfaces 122 and/or 124 of substrate 72) and/or conductivevias extending through one or more of the stacked dielectric substratelayers.

RFIC 126 may include, for example, phase and magnitude controllers 50 ofFIG. 4, up-converter circuitry, down-converter circuitry, amplifiercircuitry, or any other desired radio-frequency circuitry. RFIC 126 mayinclude one or more additional ports or terminals that are coupled toconnector 123 of FIG. 9 (e.g., using additional radio-frequencytransmission line structures on substrate 72). RFIC 126 may be coupledto millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38 of FIGS. 2 and 3via connector 123. Millimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry 38may be mounted to an additional substrate such as an additional rigidprinted circuit board, a flexible printed circuit, the main logic boardof device 10, etc. If desired, the signals conveyed between themillimeter/centimeter wave transceiver circuitry and RFIC 126 may be atan intermediate frequency (e.g., a radio frequency) that is greater thana baseband frequency and less than the frequencies with which antennas40L and 40H convey radio-frequency signals. In these scenarios,upconverter circuitry in RFIC 126 may up-convert the signals from theintermediate frequency to the frequencies of operation of antennas 40Land 40H. Similarly, downconverter circuitry in RFIC 126 may down-convertsignals received by antennas 40L and 40H to the intermediate frequency.RFIC 126 may, if desired, include multiple separate (discrete)radio-frequency integrated circuits mounted to substrate 72 (e.g.,antenna module 120 may be an integrated circuit package that includesone or more RFICs and one or more phased antenna arrays mounted to acommon/shared substrate such as substrate 72).

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the antenna module 120 of FIGS. 9 and10. As shown in FIG. 11, phased antenna array 54 (e.g., dielectricresonating elements 68L and 68H and dielectric substrate 70) may bemounted to surface 122 of substrate 72. Dielectric substrate 70 may havea foot structure 128 at surface 122 that is wider than the top surfaceof dielectric substrate 70 (e.g., to increase the mechanical stabilityof antenna module 120). If desired, phased antenna array 54 may besecured to surface 122 using a layer of adhesive. Underfill may beprovided under dielectric substrate 70 and phased antenna array 54 ifdesired. In the example of FIG. 11, a dielectric over-mold structuresuch as over-mold 131 is provided on surface 124 of substrate 72.Over-mold 131 may cover RFIC 126 of FIG. 10 (e.g., RFIC 126 may beembedded within over-mold 131, thereby hiding RFIC 126 from view in FIG.11). Over-mold 131 may serve to protect RFIC 126 from damage orcontaminants, may perform heat dissipation, isolation, shielding, etc.Phased antenna array 54 may be mounted within peripheral region 66 ofFIG. 5 and may convey radio-frequency signals through the front or rearface of device 10, as examples.

In the example of FIGS. 9-11, RFIC 126 is mounted to the opposite sideof substrate 72 as phased antenna array 54. This is merely illustrative.In another suitable arrangement, RFIC 126 may be mounted to the sameside of substrate 72 as phased antenna array 54. FIG. 12 is a top-downview showing how RFIC 126 may be mounted to the same side of substrate72 as phased antenna array 54.

As shown in FIG. 12, RFIC 126 and phased antenna array 54 may both bemounted to surface 122 of substrate 72. Some or all of RFIC 126 may, forexample, be laterally interposed between phased antenna array 54 and aperipheral edge of substrate 72. FIG. 13 is a side view of antennamodule 120 as taken in the direction of arrow 132 of FIG. 12. As shownin FIG. 13, phased antenna array 54 may be taller in the direction ofthe Z-axis than RFIC 126. This may, for example, allow RFIC 126 to restunder display module 64 while phased antenna array 54 radiates throughdisplay cover layer 56 (e.g., in scenarios where antenna module 120 ismounted within peripheral region 66 of FIG. 5 and phased antenna array54 is a front-facing phased antenna array in device 10).

If desired, antenna module 120 may include multiple phased antennaarrays mounted to different sides of substrate 72. FIG. 14 is a sideview showing how multiple phased antenna arrays 54 may be mounted todifferent sides of substrate 72. As shown in FIG. 14, antenna module 120may include a first phased antenna array 54-1 and a second phasedantenna array 54-2. First phased antenna array 54-1 may include antennas40 with dielectric resonating elements 68 mounted to surface 122 ofsubstrate 72 whereas second phased antenna array 54-2 includes antennas40 with dielectric resonating elements 68 mounted to surface 124 ofsubstrate 72. First phased antenna array 54-1 may steer a beam ofradio-frequency signals 134 across at least some of the hemisphere abovesurface 122. Second phased antenna array 54-2 may steer a beam ofradio-frequency signals 136 across at least some of the hemisphere belowsurface 124. First phased antenna array 54-1 may be a one-dimensionalarray or a two-dimensional array of antennas 40. Second phased antennaarray 54-2 may be a one-dimensional array or a two-dimensional array ofantennas 40.

Antenna module 120 of FIG. 14 may, for example, be mounted withinperipheral region 66 of FIG. 5. First phased antenna array 54-1 may be afront-facing phased antenna array (e.g., where radio-frequency signals134 serve as the radio-frequency signals 62 conveyed through displaycover layer 56 of FIG. 5). Second phased antenna array may be arear-facing phased antenna array (e.g., e.g., where radio-frequencysignals 136 serve as the radio-frequency signals 60 conveyed throughrear housing wall 12R of FIG. 5). In another suitable arrangement, firstphased antenna array 54-1 may be a rear-facing phased antenna arraywhereas second phased antenna array 54-2 is a front-facing phasedantenna array.

As shown in FIG. 14, connector 123 may be mounted to surface 122. Thisis merely illustrative and, in another suitable arrangement, connector123 may be mounted to surface 124. RFIC 126 may be mounted to surface124. This is merely illustrative and, in another suitable arrangement,RFIC 126 may be mounted to surface 122. RFIC 126 and connector 123 maybe mounted to the same surface if desired. Radio-frequency transmissionlines in substrate 72 may couple RFIC 126 to each of the antennas 40 inphased antenna arrays 54-1 and 54-2. An over-mold structure may beprovided over RFIC 126 and surface 124 if desired. In the example ofFIG. 14, phased antenna arrays 54-1 and 54-2 are shown without acorresponding dielectric substrate 70 (FIGS. 6 and 9-13) for the sake ofclarity. If desired, dielectric substrates 70 may be molded over firstphased antenna array 54-1 and/or second phased antenna array 54-2.

The example of FIG. 14 in which both phased antenna arrays 54-1 and 54-2are formed from dielectric resonator antennas is merely illustrative. Inanother suitable arrangement, the antennas in first phased antenna array54-1 may be stacked patch antennas, as shown in the cross-sectional sideview of FIG. 15.

As shown in FIG. 15, the antennas 40 in first phased antenna array 54-1may be stacked patch antennas. Each antenna 40 in first phased antennaarray 54-1 may include one or more conductive patches 140 embeddedwithin the dielectric layers 138 of substrate 72. Conductive patches 140may be spaced apart from and extend parallel to ground traces 144 insubstrate 72. The conductive patches 140 in antennas 40 may includedirectly-fed patch antenna resonating elements and/or indirectly-fedparasitic antenna resonating elements that at least partially overlap atleast one directly-fed patch antenna resonating element. Conductivepatches 140 may have lengths 142 that determine the frequency responseof first phased antenna array 54-1. Lengths 142 may, for example, beapproximately equal to one-half the effective wavelength correspondingto a frequency in the frequency band of operation of first phasedantenna array 54-1.

In practice, the dielectric resonating elements 68 in second phasedantenna array 54-2 may occupy greater height (e.g., in the direction ofthe Z-axis) than conductive patches 140 in first phased antenna array54-1. At the same time, conductive patches 140 may occupy greater area(e.g., in the X-Y plane) than dielectric resonating elements 68. Thismay allow antenna module 120 to be mounted within device 10 at locationswhere there may be more space to place antennas for radiating throughone side of device 10 than the other. As an example, antenna module 120of FIG. 15 may be mounted within peripheral region 66 of FIG. 5 withsecond phased antenna array 54-2 facing display cover layer 56 and firstphased antenna array 54-1 facing rear housing wall 12R (e.g., there maybe more space to place antennas for radiating through rear housing wall12R than through display cover layer 56 due to the presence of displaymodule 64). The example of FIG. 15 is merely illustrative and, inanother suitable arrangement, first phased antenna array 54-1 mayinclude dielectric resonator antennas whereas second phased antennaarray 54-2 is includes stacked patch antennas.

In practice, it can be challenging to manufacture antenna modules havingdielectric resonator antennas such as antenna module 120 of FIGS. 9-15.In some scenarios, antenna modules are manufactured by individuallyforming each dielectric resonating element (e.g., by sintering a ceramicpowder), individually metallizing the probe feed for each dielectricresonating element, injection molding the dielectric substrate over eachindividually-formed dielectric resonating element in the array, grindingdown the portion of the dielectric resonating elements protruding beyondthe dielectric substrate, and surface-mounting the result to a board.This process can be very complicated, time consuming, and expensive, andcan lead to antenna modules that exhibit a substantial amount ofmechanical variation that limits the overall mechanical and/or wirelessperformance of the module (e.g., due to poor dielectric resonatingelement parallelism, height coplanarity, and dimension, contact padtolerance issues, and unpredictable dielectric resonating elementtilting). In order to mitigate these issues, antenna module 120 may bemanufactured using a largely scalable, IC-assembly process compatible,double side molding process, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.

FIGS. 16 and 17 are diagrams of an illustrative assembly process forantenna module 120. As shown in FIG. 16, antenna modules 120 may bemanufactured in a manufacturing system such as manufacturing system 146.Manufacturing system 146 may include manufacturing equipment 148.Manufacturing system 146 may gather substrate 72 and electroniccomponents 150 to be assembled into a given antenna module 120.Substrate 72 may include radio-frequency transmission line structures(e.g., signal and ground traces on or embedded within the dielectriclayers of substrate 72) and corresponding contact pads coupled to theradio-frequency transmission line structures at the surfaces ofsubstrate 72. Electronic components 150 may include RFIC 126 (FIGS.9-15) or any other desired radio-frequency components (e.g.,radio-frequency switching circuits, filter circuits, discretecapacitors, resistors, and inductors, amplifier circuits, etc.).

Manufacturing equipment 148 may surface mount electronic components 150to surface 122 of substrate 72, as shown by arrow 152 (e.g., usingsurface-mount technology (SMT) equipment in manufacturing equipment148). For example, solder balls 154 or any other desired conductiveinterconnect structures may be used to couple the terminals (ports) ofelectronic components 150 to corresponding contact pads on surface 122of substrate 72. Manufacturing equipment 148 may then layer over-mold131 over the surface-mounted components 150 and surface 122 of substrate72, as shown by arrow 156. This may serve to encapsulate or embedelectronic components 150 at surface 122 within over-mold 131.

Manufacturing equipment 148 may then flip substrate 72 over and eachdielectric resonating element 68 in the antenna module may beconcurrently formed on surface 124 of substrate 72. For example,manufacturing equipment 148 may form dielectric resonating elements 68by performing a molding/selective molding process using high dielectricconstant epoxy mold compound material to mold each of the dielectricresonating elements 68 in the module at once (e.g., so that dielectricresonating elements 68 exhibit dielectric constant dk1 of FIG. 6). Thisprocess may also form a top-most layer 164 on surface 124 of substrate72. Top-most layer 164 may cover the contact pads at surface 124 for theradio-frequency transmission lines used to feed dielectric resonatingelements 68 (e.g., radio-frequency transmission lines 88V and 88H ofFIG. 6). While top-most layer 164 may be formed from the same materialas dielectric resonating elements 68, top-most layer 164 may sometimesbe referred to herein as forming a part of substrate 72 or forming thetop-most layer of substrate 72.

Manufacturing equipment 148 may then perform laser activation andmetallization for dielectric resonating elements 68 (e.g., using a laserdirect structuring (LDS) process), as shown by arrow 162. For example,lasers in manufacturing equipment 148 may be used to create a pattern orseed layer for the metallization of the feed probes and optionally theparasitic elements for antennas 40 (e.g., on sidewalls 102 of dielectricresonating elements 68 and/or on top-layer 164). Manufacturing equipment148 may then perform a physical deposition or chemical plating processthat metalizes the pattern or seed layer created by the lasers. This mayserve to form conductive structures 86V and 86H on sidewalls 102 ofdielectric resonating elements 68 (e.g., at bottom surface 82 ofdielectric resonating elements 68) and/or on top-most layer 164. Ifdesired, this process may also be used to form parasitic elements 108Hand 108V (FIG. 7) and/or parasitic elements 114-1 and 114-2 (FIG. 8) onsidewalls 102 and/or top-most layer 164. In scenarios where dielectricresonating elements 68 only cover a single polarization, manufacturingequipment 148 may form only a single feed probe on each dielectricresonating element 68.

In addition, manufacturing equipment 148 may couple conductivestructures 86V and 86H to corresponding contact pads on surface 124 ofsubstrate 72 (e.g., by forming conductive vias that extend throughtop-most layer 164). In scenarios where parasitic elements 114-1 and/or114-2 of FIG. 8 are formed, manufacturing equipment 148 may formconductive vias through top-most layer 164 to couple the parasiticelements to ground traces at surface 124. Coupling conductive structures86V and 86H to the contact pads on surface 124 may serve to coupleconductive structures 86V and 86H to corresponding radio-frequencytransmission lines in substrate 72. The radio-frequency transmissionlines may couple conductive structures 86V and 86H to electroniccomponents 150 at surface 122.

If desired, multiple antenna modules 120 may be manufactured from thesame substrate 72, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 17. As shownin FIG. 17, substrate 72 may be used to form nine antenna modules eachhaving four antennas and thus four dielectric resonating elements 68arranged in a 1×4 pattern. This example is merely illustrative and, ingeneral, any desired number of antenna modules may be formed from thesame substrate 72. The processes of FIG. 16 may be performedconcurrently for each of the antenna modules formed from substrate 72.Concurrently manufacturing multiple antenna modules in this way mayincrease the reliability of the antenna modules (both within eachantenna module and between antenna modules) and reduce the cost and timerequired to manufacture multiple devices 10. This process may allowantenna module 120 to exhibit a smaller form factor for multipleapplications, may eliminate extra injection molding, sintering,surface-mounting, and underfilling relative to arrangements where eachdielectric resonating element is individually molded and then mounted toa substrate. This arrangement may also allow for tighter process controland improved yield relative to arrangements where each dielectricresonating element is individually molded and then mounted to asubstrate.

As by arrow 166, manufacturing equipment 148 may surface-mountconnectors 123 to connector contact pads 168 at surface 124 of substrate72. Connectors 123 may couple electronic components 150 in over-mold 131to transceiver circuitry on a separate substrate after the antennamodules are assembled into device 10, for example. Cutting equipment(e.g., blade or laser cutting tools) in manufacturing equipment 148 maythen dice (cut) substrate 72 into separate antenna modules, as shown byarrow 170. In the example of FIG. 17, this may produce nine separatestrips of substrate 72 that form nine separate antenna modules 120, eachhaving four antennas 40 with corresponding dielectric resonatingelements 68. Dielectric structure 70 may be molded over dielectricresonating elements 68 after dicing, at any other desired time afterconductive structures 86H and 86V have been formed on dielectricresonating elements 68, or may be omitted if desired.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of illustrative steps that may be performed bymanufacturing equipment 148 of FIGS. 16 and 17 in manufacturing antennamodule 120. At step 172, manufacturing equipment 148 may surface-mountelectronic components 150 (e.g., one or more radio-frequency integratedcircuits) to a surface of substrate 72 (e.g., as shown by arrow 152 ofFIG. 16). Manufacturing equipment 148 may layer over-mold 131 over thesurface-mounted electronic components 150 (e.g., as shown by arrow 156of FIG. 16).

At step 174, manufacturing equipment 148 may mold dielectric resonatingelements 68 on a surface of substrate 72 (e.g., as shown by arrow 160 ofFIG. 16). Dielectric resonating elements 68 may be molded onto thesurface of substrate 72 opposite to the surface-mounted electroniccomponents 150. This is merely illustrative and, if desired, dielectricresonating elements 68 may be molded onto the same surface of substrate72 as the surface-mounted electronic components 150 (e.g., as shown inFIGS. 12 and 13).

At step 176, manufacturing equipment 148 pattern conductive traces ontodielectric resonating elements 68 (e.g., as shown by arrow 162 of FIG.16). Manufacturing equipment 148 may, for example, use lasers toactivate or create a seed layer on dielectric resonating elements 68.Manufacturing equipment 148 may then deposit conductive material overthe activated portions of dielectric resonating elements 68. Theconductive material may form conductive structures 86V and 86H (e.g.,for feed probes 100V and 100H of FIG. 6) and/or parasitic elements forthe antennas.

At step 178, manufacturing equipment 148 may surface-mount connectors123 onto the connector contact pads 168 of substrate 72 (e.g., as shownby arrow 166 of FIG. 17).

At step 180, manufacturing equipment 148 may dice substrate 180 intoindividual antenna modules 120 and may add corresponding shieldingstructures to the antenna modules (e.g., as shown by arrow 170 of FIG.17). The shielding may serve to isolate electronic components 150 fromelectromagnetic interference, for example.

At step 182, manufacturing equipment 148 may assemble a manufacturedantenna module 120 into device 10. For example, manufacturing equipment148 may mount antenna module 120 within peripheral region 66 of FIG. 5or elsewhere within the interior of device 10. Antenna module 120 may bemounted to convey radio-frequency signals through display cover layer 56or rear housing wall 12R of FIG. 5, for example. The steps of FIG. 18are merely illustrative and, if desired, other processes may be used tomanufacture antenna module 120.

In practice, implementation of dielectric resonator antennas inelectronic devices can be challenging since the dielectric resonatorantennas have high aspect ratios that make it difficult to controlsystem alignment, reliability, and interconnect reliability. In otherphased antenna arrays, each antenna may require two radio-frequencyconnectors to feed, which can be undesirably bulky. Integrating thedielectric resonator antennas into antenna module 120 may allow theantennas to each be fed without requiring as many connectors and mayallow the antennas to be properly aligned with a high degree ofreliability.

In practice, the metallization used to feed dielectric resonatingelements 68 can be costly to perform at scale. In another suitablearrangement, the feed probes for dielectric resonating elements 68 maybe pressed against dielectric resonating elements 68 using feed probebiasing structures. This may allow the antennas to be fed withoutadditional metalizations on the ceramic, which may decrease cost anddesign complexity.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna module 120having feed probes that are pressed against dielectric resonatingelements 68 using feed probe biasing structures. In the example of FIG.19, substrate 72 is a flexible printed circuit. Phased antenna array 54may include dielectric resonating elements 68 embedded within dielectricsubstrate 70 to form antenna package 184. Antenna package 184 may thenbe surface-mounted to contact pads on surface 122 of substrate 72. Inthe example of FIG. 19, phased antenna array 54 includes two low bandantennas 40L interleaved with two high band antennas 40H (e.g., in a 1×4array). This is merely illustrative and, in general, phased antennaarray 54 may include any desired number of antennas for covering anydesired frequency bands. The antennas may be arranged in any desiredpattern.

As shown in FIG. 19, the dielectric resonating element 68H in high bandantennas 40H may be separated from the dielectric resonating element 68Lin one or two adjacent low band antennas 40L by distance 192. Distance192 may be selected to provide satisfactory electromagnetic isolationbetween low band antennas 40L and high band antennas 40H. Eachdielectric resonating element in phased antenna array 54 may be fed byfeed probes having conductive structures 86V and 86H. Conductivestructures 86V and 86H may be pressed against dielectric resonatingelements 68 by feed probe biasing structures in antenna package 184 (notshown in FIG. 19 for the sake of clarity). The feed probe biasingstructures may, for example, press or bias conductive structure 86Hagainst the sidewalls 102 of dielectric resonating elements 68 (e.g., byexerting a biasing force in the -X direction). Similarly, the feed probebiasing structures may press or bias conductive structure 86V againstthe sidewalls 102 of dielectric resonating elements 68 (e.g., byexerting a biasing force in the +Y direction).

Dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over the feed probe biasingstructures as well as dielectric resonating elements 68. Dielectricsubstrate 70 may have a bottom surface 188 at substrate 72 and anopposing top surface 190. In the example of FIG. 19, the top surface 80of dielectric resonating elements 68 protrudes above top surface 190 ofdielectric substrate 70. This is merely illustrative and, if desired,top surface 190 may lie flush with the top surface 80. In anothersuitable arrangement, dielectric substrate 70 may cover the top surface80 of dielectric resonating elements 70. An attachment structure 186 maybe partially embedded within dielectric substrate 70 (e.g., dielectricsubstrate 70 may be molded over part of attachment structure 186).Attachment structure 186 may help to secure antenna module 120 in placewithin device 10 if desired (e.g., using screws, pins, or otherstructures that extend through an opening in attachment structure 186).

FIG. 20 is diagram of an illustrative assembly process for antennamodule 120 of FIG. 19. As shown in FIG. 20, the antenna modules may bemanufactured in manufacturing system 146. Manufacturing equipment 148may include alignment posts 194. Alignment posts 194 may pressconductive structure 86H against a first sidewall 102 of dielectricresonating element 68 and may press conductive structure 86V against asecond (orthogonal) sidewall 102 of dielectric resonating element 68.Conductive structures 86H and 86V may include stub portions 196 that liein the X-Y plane. Conductive structures 86H and 86V may, for example, bestamped from pieces of sheet metal (e.g., while alignment posts pressagainst conductive structures 86H and 86V, leaving behind stub portions196)

. This may allow for a tight control of the size and position of thestamped conductive structures 86H and 86L while minimizing gaps betweenthe conductive structures and dielectric resonating element 68.

During a first molding process (e.g., a first injection moldingprocess), manufacturing equipment 148 may mold a feed probe biasingstructure such as biasing structure 200 (sometimes referred to herein asretention structure 200) over sidewalls 102 and conductive structures86H and 86V at bottom surface 82 of dielectric resonating element 68(e.g., as shown by arrow 198). Alignment posts 194 may hold conductivestructures 86H and 86V in place during the first molding process and maybe removed once biasing structure 200 has been formed (e.g., leavingbehind alignment post holes 202 in biasing structure 200). Once thealignment posts 194 have been removed, biasing structure 200 may holdconductive structures 86V and 86H in place against the sidewalls 102 ofdielectric resonating element 68. Biasing structure 200 may, forexample, exert a biasing force in the -X direction against conductivestructure 86H and may exert a biasing force in the +Y direction againstconductive structure 86V. Stub portions 196 of conductive structures 86Hand 86V may remain exposed after molding biasing structure 200 ontodielectric resonating element 68. This may allow stub portions 196 to becoupled to corresponding contact pads at surface 122 of substrate 72 ofFIG. 19 (e.g., using solder, conductive adhesive, etc.), thereby formingthe feed probes for antenna module 120. Biasing structure 200 may have abottom surface 206. Bottom surface 206 may lie flush with bottom surface82 of dielectric resonating element 68.

This process may be performed for each antenna in antenna module 120.Dielectric substrate 70 may subsequently be molded over each of thedielectric resonating elements 68, the corresponding biasing structures200, and attachment structure 186 (e.g., using a second injectionmolding process) to form antenna package 184, as shown by arrow 204. Forexample, a tool in manufacturing equipment 148 may locate theover-molded dielectric substrate 70 by the plastic in biasing structures200 to maintain the contact positions of conductive structures 86H and86V. Dielectric substrate 70 may include one or more openings 208 (e.g.,at locations where the tool in manufacturing equipment 148 held thedielectric resonating elements during over-molding). A spring feature onthe tool may locate the top surface 80 of dielectric resonating elements68 to prevent shifting during molding, thereby maintaining reliablecoplanarity for the bottom surface 82 across each dielectric resonatingelement 68 in antenna package 184 (e.g., bottom surface 206 of biasingstructures 200 may be coplanar with bottom surface 82 of dielectricresonating elements 68L and 68H, stub portions 196 of conductivestructures 86H and 86V, and bottom surface 188 of dielectric substrate70 across antenna package 184 with a very tight tolerance). This uniformand reliable coplanarity may allow the bottom surface of antenna package184 to be surface-mounted to substrate 72 (thereby forming antennamodule 120) with minimal or uniform gaps across antenna package 184,thereby optimizing the mechanical reliability and wireless performanceof antenna module 120. Antenna module 120 may then be mounted withindevice 10.

FIG. 21 is a top-down view showing one illustrative location whereantenna module 120 may be mounted within device 10 (e.g., antenna module120 of FIG. 19 or other antenna modules 120 as described herein). Asshown in FIG. 21, display module 64 in display 14 may include notch 8.Display cover layer 56 of FIG. 5 has been omitted from FIG. 21 for thesake of clarity. Display module 64 may form active area AA of display 14whereas notch 8 forms part of inactive area IA of display 14 (FIG. 1).The edges of notch 8 may be defined by peripheral conductive housingstructures 12W and display module 64. For example, notch 8 may have twoor more edges (e.g., three edges) defined by display module 64 and oneor more edges defined by peripheral conductive housing structures 12W.

Device 10 may include speaker port 16 (e.g., an ear speaker) withinnotch 8. If desired, device 10 may include other components 210 withinnotch 8. Other components 210 may include one or more image sensors suchas one or more cameras, an infrared image sensor, an infrared lightemitter (e.g., an infrared dot projector and/or flood illuminator), anambient light sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a capacitive proximitysensor, a thermal sensor, a moisture sensor, or any other desiredinput/output components (e.g., input/output devices 26 of FIG. 2).Antenna module 120 (e.g., an antenna module having dielectric resonatingelements 68L interleaved with dielectric resonating elements 68H forcovering different frequency bands) may be mounted within device 10(e.g., within peripheral region 66 of FIG. 5) and aligned with theportion(s) of notch 8 that are not occupied by other components 210 orspeaker port 16. Antenna module 120 may be laterally interposed betweentwo components 210 such as between an image sensor (e.g., a rear-facingcamera) and an ambient light sensor, dot projector, flood illuminator,or ambient light sensor, for example.

Substrate 72 may extend under display module 64 to another substratesuch as substrate 214 (e.g., another flexible printed circuit, a rigidprinted circuit board, a main logic board, etc.). The radio-frequencytransceiver circuitry for antenna module 120 may be mounted to substrate214 if desired. Connector 123 on substrate 72 may be coupled toconnector 212 (e.g., a board-to-board connector) on substrate 214. Thismay allow the antennas in antenna module 120 to cover at least some ofthe hemisphere over the front face of device 10 without occupying anexcessive amount of space within device 10, for example. The example ofFIG. 21 is merely illustrative and, in general, antenna module 120 maybe mounted at any desired location within device 10. Antenna module 120may have any desired number of antennas for covering any desiredfrequency bands. The antennas in antenna module 120 may be arranged inany desired one or two-dimensional pattern.

In order to further increase isolation between adjacent antennas 40 inphased antenna array 54, each dielectric antenna resonating element inthe array may be rotated relative to as shown in FIGS. 9-21. FIG. 22 isa top view showing how phased antenna array 54 may include rotateddielectric antenna resonating elements.

As shown in FIG. 22, antenna module 120 may include dielectricresonating elements 68H and 68L that are arranged in a one-dimensionalpattern along longitudinal axis 216 (e.g., an axis running through thecentral/longitudinal axis of each of the dielectric resonatingelements). Dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over dielectricresonating elements 68H and 68L. Prior to mounting to substrate 72,dielectric resonating elements 68H and 68L may be rotated so that thesidewalls of the dielectric resonating elements (e.g., thelateral/peripheral edges of the dielectric resonating elements as viewedfrom above) are each oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect tolongitudinal axis 216. For example, each dielectric resonating element68H and 68L may include a first pair of opposing sidewalls 102 that areoriented at angle θ with respect to longitudinal axis 216. Eachdielectric resonating element 68H and 68L may also include a second pairof opposing sidewalls 102 that are oriented perpendicular to the firstpair of opposing sidewalls (e.g., at a 90 degree angle with respect tothe first pair of opposing sidewalls or an angle of angle θ+90 degreeswith respect to longitudinal axis 216). In this way, the sidewalls mayalso be oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to each lateraledge of substrate 72, if desired. Angle θ may be between 0 degrees and90 degrees (e.g., 45 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 40-50 degrees, etc.).Orienting dielectric resonating elements 68 Land 68H in this way mayserve to minimize cross-coupling between adjacent antennas 40L and 40H,thereby maximizing isolation between the antennas and thus theradio-frequency performance of antenna module 120.

In the example of FIG. 22, phased antenna array 54 includes four lowband antennas 40L interleaved with four high band antennas 40H. Thisexample is merely illustrative. In general, phased antenna array 54 mayinclude any desired number of antennas for covering any desired bandsand arranged in any desired one or two-dimensional pattern on surface122 of substrate 72. Connector 123 may be mounted to surface 122 or theopposing surface of substrate 72.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the antenna module 120 of FIG. 22. Inthe example of FIGS. 22 and 23, the RFIC for antenna module 120 ismounted to surface 124 of substrate 72 and over-mold 131 is layeredunder surface 124 and the RFIC. This is merely illustrative and, inanother suitable arrangement, the RFIC may be mounted to surface 122(e.g., as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13).

As shown in FIG. 23, feed probe biasing structures such as biasingstructures 218 may press the feed probes for phased antenna array 54against dielectric resonating elements 68L and 68H (e.g., by exertingbiasing forces against the conductive structures in the feed probes thatare oriented normal to the sidewalls 102 against which the feed probesare pressed). Dielectric substrate 70 may be molded over dielectricresonating elements 68L and 68H and biasing structures 218 (e.g., toform a single integrated antenna package that is then surface-mounted tosubstrate 72). Dielectric substrate 70 may, if desired, include openingsthat expose biasing structures 218. Dielectric substrate 70 may alsoinclude openings (holes) 219 that are laterally interposed between eachpair of adjacent dielectric resonating elements in phased antenna array54. Openings 219 may, for example, serve to further increase isolationbetween the antennas 40L and 40H in phased antenna array 54.

FIG. 24 is an exploded view of the antenna module 120 of FIGS. 22 and23. As shown in FIG. 24, feed probes 100V and 100H and optionallyparasitic elements 108 may be pressed against dielectric resonatingelements 68L and 68H by biasing structures 218. In scenarios wheredielectric resonating elements 68L and 68H are fed by only a single feedprobe, parasitic elements 108 may be omitted and/or parasitic elements114-1 and 114-2 of FIG. 8 may be used.

Biasing structure 218 may be molded over dielectric resonating elements68L and 68H, feed probes 100H and 100V, and parasitic elements 108during a first molding process (e.g., similar to the first moldingprocess associated with arrow 198 of FIG. 20). Alignment posts may pressfeed probes 100H and 100V and parasitic elements 108 against thedielectric resonating elements during the first molding process and mayleave behind alignment post openings in biasing structures 218 aftermolding. Biasing structures 218 may press feed probes 100H and 100V andparasitic elements 108 against dielectric resonating elements 68L and68H to maintain a reliable coupling between the feed probes, parasiticelements, and the dielectric resonating elements. Dielectric substrate70 may be molded over all of the dielectric resonating elements 68H and68L and biasing structures 218 in a second molding process (e.g.,similar to the second molding process associated with arrow 204 of FIG.20). The assembled phased antenna array 54 may subsequently besurface-mounted to substrate 72 of FIGS. 22 and 23 to form antennamodule 120.

The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may beimplemented individually or in any combination.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a substrate; aphased antenna array, wherein the phased antenna array comprisesprobe-fed dielectric resonator antennas mounted to a surface of thesubstrate, the phased antenna array being configured to conveyradio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 10 GHz within asignal beam; and a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) mounted tothe substrate, wherein the RFIC is configured to adjust a direction ofthe signal beam.
 2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, whereinthe substrate comprises an additional surface opposite the surface, theRFIC being mounted to the additional surface of the substrate.
 3. Theelectronic device defined in claim 2, further comprising: aboard-to-board connector mounted to the surface of the substrate; andradio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the RFIC via theboard-to-board connector.
 4. The electronic device defined in claim 2,further comprising: an over-mold structure on the additional surface,wherein the RFIC is embedded within the over-mold structure.
 5. Theelectronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the RFIC is mounted to thesurface of the substrate.
 6. The electronic device defined in claim 1,wherein the substrate comprises an additional surface opposite thesurface, the electronic device further comprising: an additional phasedantenna array mounted to the additional surface of the substrate,wherein the additional phased antenna array is configured to conveyradio-frequency signals at the frequency within an additional signalbeam, the RFIC being configured to adjust a direction of the additionalsignal beam.
 7. The electronic device defined in claim 6, furthercomprising: peripheral conductive housing structures that run around aperiphery of the electronic device; a display having a display coverlayer mounted to the peripheral conductive housing structures and havinga display module configured to emit light through the display coverlayer; and a housing wall mounted to the peripheral conductive housingstructures opposite the display cover layer, wherein the phased antennaarray is configured to convey the radio-frequency signals within thesignal beam through the display cover layer and the additional phasedantenna array is configured to convey the radio-frequency signals withinthe additional signal beam through the housing wall.
 8. The electronicdevice defined in claim 6, wherein the additional phased antenna arraycomprises antennas selected from the group consisting of: stacked patchantennas embedded within the substrate and dielectric resonator antennasmounted to the additional surface of the substrate.
 9. The electronicdevice defined in claim 1, wherein the each of the probe-fed dielectricresonator antennas comprises a dielectric resonating element mounted tothe surface of the substrate and a feed probe coupled to a sidewall ofthe dielectric resonating element.
 10. The electronic device defined inclaim 9, wherein the feed probe comprises a conductive trace patternedon the sidewall of the dielectric resonating element, the dielectricresonating element is formed from a material having a dielectricconstant greater than 10, and the electronic device further comprises: alayer of the material on the surface of the substrate, wherein thedielectric resonating element is mounted to the layer of the material,the conductive trace being coupled to a radio-frequency transmissionline in the substrate by a conductive via extending through the layer ofthe material.
 11. The electronic device defined in claim 9, wherein thefeed probe comprises stamped sheet metal pressed against the sidewall ofthe dielectric resonating element by a biasing structure molded over thefeed probe, the phased antenna array further comprises a dielectricstructure molded over each of the dielectric resonator antennas in thephased antenna array to form an antenna package, the substrate comprisesa flexible printed circuit substrate and the antenna package issurface-mounted to the flexible printed circuit substrate, and theelectronic device further comprises: peripheral conductive housingstructures that run around a periphery of the electronic device; and adisplay having a display cover layer mounted to the peripheralconductive housing structures and having a display module configured toemit light through the display cover layer, wherein the displaycomprises a notch, the display module defines first, second, and thirdsides of the notch, the peripheral conductive housing structures definea fourth side of the notch, and the phased antenna array is aligned withthe notch.
 12. The electronic device defined in claim 9, wherein thedielectric resonator antennas are aligned along a longitudinal axis, thesidewall of the dielectric resonating element being oriented at anon-zero and non-perpendicular angle with respect to the longitudinalaxis.
 13. An antenna module configured to handle wireless communicationsat a frequency greater than 10 GHz, the antenna module comprising: anantenna module substrate; a phased antenna array comprising a dielectricresonating element mounted to a surface of the antenna module substrate,wherein the dielectric resonating element has a sidewall; a feed probecoupled to the sidewall at the surface of the antenna module substrateand configured to excite a resonant mode of the dielectric resonatingelement; a feed probe biasing structure that presses the feed probeagainst the sidewall, wherein the feed probe biasing structure is moldedover the feed probe and at least some of the dielectric resonatingelement; and a plastic substrate molded over the feed probe biasingstructure and at least some of the dielectric resonating element. 14.The antenna module defined in claim 13, wherein the antenna modulecomprises an additional dielectric resonating element mounted to thesurface of the antenna module substrate, the additional dielectricresonating element has an additional sidewall, the antenna modulecomprises an additional feed probe coupled to the additional sidewall atthe surface of the antenna module substrate, the additional feed probeis configured to excite a resonant mode of the additional dielectricresonating element, the antenna module comprises an additional feedprobe biasing structure that presses the additional feed probe againstthe additional sidewall, the additional feed probe biasing structure ismolded over the additional feed probe and at least some of theadditional dielectric resonating element, and the plastic substrate ismolded over the additional feed probe biasing structure and at leastsome of the additional dielectric resonating element.
 15. The antennamodule defined in claim 14, wherein the substrate comprises a flexibleprinted circuit substrate.
 16. The antenna module defined in claim 13,wherein the dielectric resonating element has an additional sidewalloriented perpendicular to the sidewall, the antenna module furthercomprises an additional feed probe coupled to the additional sidewall atthe surface of the antenna module substrate, the resonant mode isassociated with a first linear polarization, the additional feed probeis configured to excite an additional resonant mode of the dielectricresonating element associated with a second linear polarizationorthogonal to the first linear polarization, the feed probe biasingstructure presses the additional feed probe against the additionalsidewall, and the feed probe biasing structure is molded over theadditional feed probe.
 17. An antenna module configured to handlewireless communications at a frequency greater than 10 GHz, the antennamodule comprising: a substrate; and a phased antenna array havingdielectric resonating elements mounted to a surface of the substrate,wherein the dielectric resonating elements are aligned along alongitudinal axis, each of the dielectric resonating elements hassidewalls that are oriented at a non-zero and non-perpendicular anglewith respect to the longitudinal axis, and the dielectric resonatingelements are fed by feed probes coupled to the sidewalls at the surfaceof the substrate.
 18. The antenna module defined in claim 17, whereinthe phased antenna array comprises feed probe biasing structures moldedover the feed probes and configured to hold the feed probes against thesidewalls.
 19. The antenna module defined in claim 18, furthercomprising: a dielectric substrate molded over each of the dielectricresonating elements and each of the feed probe biasing structures; andopenings in the dielectric substrate, wherein each of the openings islaterally interposed between a respective pair of dielectric resonatingelements in the phased antenna array.
 20. The antenna module defined inclaim 18, wherein each of the dielectric resonating elements comprisesfirst, second, third, and fourth sidewalls, a first feed probe pressedagainst the first sidewall by a respective one of the feed probe biasingstructures, a second feed probe pressed against the second sidewall bythe respective one of the feed probe biasing structures, a firstparasitic element pressed against the third sidewall by the respectiveone of the feed probe biasing structures, and a second parasitic elementpressed against the fourth sidewall by the respective one of the feedprobe biasing structures.